New Commander at Expeditionary Operations School

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Shawn J. Jones
  • Expeditionary Center Public Affairs

There's a new Airman leading the Air Force's center of excellence for mobility and expeditionary operations skills training.

 

Col. Thomas J. O'Connell, Jr., assumed command of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Operations School in a change-of-command ceremony here July 7.

 

At his previous assignment, O'Connell served as the Chief of East and Southeast Contingency Plans within Pacific Command's Strategy and Policy Directorate near Honolulu, Hawaii.

 

O'Connell's operational experience includes more than 50 combat missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Balkans, most of which were in a C-17 Globemaster III or a KC-135 Stratotanker.

 

During the ceremony, O'Connell addressed the school's cadre of instructors and support Airmen.

 

"Let there be no doubt, you have a tremendous reputation across the command and across the joint force," he said. "As the threat changes, as the field conditions change and as the Air Force changes, you have continuously innovated and maintained that reputation of providing world-class training, so my hat's off to you."

 

Outgoing commander Col. Jay Junkins is headed to a new assignment at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where he will serve on the staff at U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

 

Maj. Gen. Frederick Martin, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander, presided over the ceremony.