MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA, Okinawa — Maj. Gen. George J. Trautman III relinquished his duties as the commanding general of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing to Brig. Gen. Robert E. Schmidle Jr. at a change-of-command ceremony here Friday.

Trautman leaves Okinawa to become deputy commandant for aviation at Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington.

During his tour on Okinawa, Trautman led wing humanitarian missions such as Operation Goodwill and the relief effort after a devastating earthquake struck Central Java, Indonesia, in May 2006.

He also guided the wing in joint and combined exercises such as Ulchi Focus Lens in South Korea and Cobra Gold in Thailand.

Schmidle’s previous assignment was as deputy director for resources and acquisition on the Joint Staff in Washington.

As executive officer of Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron 333, he deployed in support of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and later served as commanding officer of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (Experimental), according to a Marine press release.

Migrated