BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- The 93rd Bomb Squadron, 343rd Bomb Squadron, and 307th Civil Engineer Squadron all held change of command ceremonies during the January Unit Training Assembly here, Jan. 6-7.
Lt. Col. Millard Matthews, III took the reins of the 93rd BS on Jan. 6 in front of a large gathering of friends, family, and peers. The University of Connecticut earned his commission through the school’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2003.
A Master Navigator, Matthews has over 2,500 flight hours, including 285 combat hours. During his speech, he alluded to his father, a Vietnam veteran, for inspiring him to join the military.
“He put the love of the Air Force into me, and I knew I’d join from the time I was five years old,” said Matthews. “I never thought I’d be up here today, but I think he did.”
On Jan. 7, Lt. Col. Corey Hancock took command of the 343rd Bomb Squadron in front of a packed house at Hoban Hall.
Hancock will lead the Air Force Reserve Command’s only nuclear strike B-52 squadron.
The Knoxville, Tennessee native graduated from the USAFA in 2005 and earned a Master of Science in International Relations from Troy State University in 2010.
Hancock has over 4,400 flight hours of conventional, nuclear, reconnaissance, and training experience, including 515 combat hours.
Addressing the 343rd BS for the first time as commander, Hancock addressed the unit’s storied history and implored them to stay ready for the future.
“ You are the heart and soul of the unit,” said Hancock. “Your dedication, skill, and resilience are the bedrock upon which our success is built, and I promise to give you my best because you deserve no less.”
The 307th Civil Engineer change of command rounded out the weekend when Maj. Timothy Pach took command of the unit. Pach earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Michigan Technological University in 2006, earning his commission that year through the ROTC program.
His career includes multiple deployments and a stint as an assistant civil engineering professor at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Pach expressed excitement in his first speech to his fellow 307th CES Airmen.
“We are the first ones in to operate the airfields and the first ones in to open a base, so we really do lead the way,” he said. “I look forward to working alongside you, and I look forward to working for you.”