LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
The 71st Fighter Squadron's director of operations took command of the 71st FS during a change-of-command ceremony here June 6.
Lt. Col Edward Corcoran will take command of the 71st FS by succeeding former commander Lt. Col. Robert Garland Jr.
Colonel Garland will leave Langley to attend the Navy War College for Senior Development Education in Newport, R.I.
During the ceremony, Colonel Garland shared his philosophy with the new commander.
"Surround yourself with success and you will succeed," Colonel Garland said. "And you are surrounded with success; you will do just fine."
After receiving the guidon, Colonel Corcoran said he felt a sense of pride as Airmen accomplished the mission while taking care of each other.
"As commander, I look forward to working with you," Colonel Corcoran said to the Airmen.
Colonel Corcoran has logged more than 2,400 flight hours and has served in combat over Southwest Asia.
In November of 1983, Colonel Corcoran, then enlisted, was assigned to the 308th Strategic Missile Wing Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., were he was a technician for the Titan II intercontinental Ballistic Missile System.
He earned his associate's degree from the Community College of the Air Force and earned a pilot scholarship under the Airman Scholarship Commissioning Program. In May of 1989, he graduated from the University of Central Florida.
Upon graduation, he was commissioned and attended undergraduate pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, Okla., from April of 1990 to 1991. From Vance, his next assignment was Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., for AT-38 lead-in-fighter training from May 1991 to June 1991 and F-15 replacement training at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., from September 1991 to January 1992. Colonel Corcoran was then assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron here in September of 1992.
While stationed at Langley, he participated in Operation Southern Watch in Southwest Asia, flying 179 combat hours and 50 sorties over Iraq.
In March of 1996, Colonel Corcoran was assigned to the 44th Fighter Squadron in Kadena Air Base, Japan. While at Kadena, he was a flight examiner, assistant director of operations, chief of weapons and tactics and a pilot instructor. In July, he was selected to attend the U.S. Air Force Weapons School F-15C Weapons Instructor Course at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
Colonel Corcoran was assigned to the 60th Fighter Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in December 1998. While at Eglin, he served as a flight examiner, instructor pilot, assistant director of operations and chief of weapons and tactics.
The colonel left Eglin in August of 2001 and headed for Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., where he was assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron. During his time at the 422nd, he deployed to Southwest Asia to participate in Operations Northern Watch, flying six combat sorties in the F-15. While there, he served as the director for 12 airborne missions in the Airborne Warning and Control Systems and 12 ground missions in the Combined Air Operations Center.
In April of 2003, Colonel Corcoran was tasked as Chief of International Advanced Systems where he was a subject matter expert for the Joint Strike Fighter, F-16 Block 60, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile and Air-to-Air Missile-9X.
In May of 2006, Colonel Corcoran returned to Langley as the 1st Fighter Wing chief of safety and 71st Fighter Squadron F-15 C instructor pilot. In June of 2007, he became the 71st FS director of operations.
His military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters.