LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The 1st Operations Group reins of control changed hands during a change of command ceremony July 16 in the 71st Aircraft Maintenance Unit hangar.
Col. Richard H. Boutwell took command from Col. Dirk D. Smith, who is deploying to Southeast Asia.
Presiding over the ceremony, Col. Matt Molloy, 1st Fighter Wing commander, discussed the achievements of Colonel Smith and congratulated him on a job well done.
Under Colonel Smith's command, he fulfilled 100 percent of the headquarters-assigned mission tasking, spanning 17,000 sorties that included the first-ever delivery of F-22 Raptors to mainland Japan.
With a backdrop of an F-15 Eagle to the left of the stage and a Raptor to the right, Colonel Boutwell spoke to his Airmen for the first time as their commander.
"Thanks for the shining display of airpower you have provided today as our back drop... just like the men and women of the 1st Maintenance Group, they are armed and ready for a fight," said Colonel Boutwell. "I look forward to building upon our already established relationships and continuing to sharpen our war fighting abilities."
Before arriving at Langley, Colonel Boutwell graduated from the National War College in June. He has flown the T-37, T-38, F-15A/B/C/D and F-16C/D and is a command pilot with more than 3,400 hours, including 149 combat hours in the F-15C.