Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander U.S. Africa Command, left, claps along as Gens. Philip M. Breedlove, center, and Mark A. Welsh III sing the "Air Force Song" at the conclusion of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday. Breedlove took command from Welsh, who has been nominated to be the next Air Force chief of staff, but his Senate confirmation has been held up by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander U.S. Africa Command, left, claps along as Gens. Philip M. Breedlove, center, and Mark A. Welsh III sing the "Air Force Song" at the conclusion of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday. Breedlove took command from Welsh, who has been nominated to be the next Air Force chief of staff, but his Senate confirmation has been held up by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
At the U.S. Air Forces change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday U.S. Air Force chief of staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and outgoing USAFE commander Gen. Mark A. Welsh III salute each other, as incoming commander Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, right, and Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Europe General Sir Richard Shirreff, left, watch. Welsh has been nominated to replace Schwartz as chief of staff, but his Senate confirmation has been held up by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. Air Force chief of staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz passes the U.S. Air Forces Europe colors to incoming commander Gen. Philip M. Breedlove at the change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Tuesday, Breedlove took command of USAFE from Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, who has been nominated to be the next Air Force chief of staff, but his Senate confirmation has been held up by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Gen. Sir Richard Shirreff, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, Gen. Carter F. Ham, commander U.S. Africa Command, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, outgoing USAFE commander and Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, incoming USAFE commander salute U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz at the USAFE change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
The U.S. Air Forces in Europe color guard marches in to present the colors at the USAFE change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday. Gen. Philip M. Breedlove took over command from Gen. Mark A. Welsh III at the ceremony. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Officers of the Allied Air Command and USAFE airmen salute during the playing of the German and American national anthems at the U.S. Air Forces in Europe change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday. Gen. Mark A. Welsh III relinquished command of USAFE, Allied Air Command and the Joint Air Power Competence Centre at the ceremony. Assuming command was Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, who also took command of U.S. Air Forces Africa. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. Air Force chief of staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz talks at the U.S. Air Forces in Europe change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday. Schwartz, who is retiring, is to be replaced by outgoing USAFE commander Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, but his confirmation has been held up by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Gen. Philip M. Breedlove is the new USAFE commander. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
Standing in front of an A-10 ''Warthog'', a plane he has flown, outgoing U.S. Air Forces in Europe commander Gen. Mark A. Welsh III gives his farewell speech at the change of command ceremony. Gen. Philip M. Breedlove took over USAFE from Welsh during the ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. Air Forces in Europe airmen give their new commander Gen. Philip M. Breedlove a first salute after he took over command from Gen. Mark A. Welsh III at a ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. Army Europe commander Lt. Gen Mark Hertling listens to a speech at the U.S. Air Forces in Europe change of command ceremony at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Tuesday. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — The occasion was a change-of-command ceremony for U.S. Air Forces in Europe, but it had the air of a hail and farewell, a gathering of some of the top generals in the Air Force.
Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, who is slated to become the next Air Force chief of staff, relinquished command of USAFE and NATO’s Allied Air Command to Gen. Philip Breedlove at a ceremony here Tuesday. But when Welsh will move on is uncertain, as his confirmation in the Senate has been delayed over the sexual assault scandal at Lackland Air Force Base.
Welsh, a combat-experienced fighter pilot described by those who have served with him as a brilliant strategist and a compassionate leader, was nominated earlier this year to replace chief of staff, Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, who is scheduled to retire Aug. 10 after four years in the job. Schwartz presided at the change of command.
Welsh’s confirmation was blocked last week by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who demanded the Air Force take “corrective steps to reform” the training program at Lackland.
“I am really excited about the next job, if I get the chance to do it,” Welsh said at Tuesday’s change-of-command ceremony. “I am also intimidated by it.”
Schwartz said Welsh’s experience and abilities “offer an entirely optimistic outlook for the future of our Air Force, should the Senate confirm his nomination.”
Welsh, Schwartz said, “has left big shoes” for Breedlove to fill. He’ll be expected to continue to improve mission readiness, strategic impact and quality of service at more than a half a dozen main operating bases and more than 100 geographically separated locations within USAFE.
Welsh told the airman assembled for the ceremony inside a spacious flight-line hangar that Breedlove “brings passion for this work and a commitment to teamwork that you are going to really admire.”
Breedlove knows Europe well, having served multiple tours in Spain, Italy and Germany during and after the Cold War, most recently from 2008-2009 as the commander of 3rd Air Force, headquartered at Ramstein.
Speaking to the numerous U.S. military and NATO members and local German officials in the audience, Breedlove said that he and his wife, Cindy, “feel like we are coming home.”
“I am looking forward to being back amongst you, to learning from you, to serve alongside of you,” he said. “There are many jobs to be done.”
One of those jobs is new for the USAFE commander, that of directing U.S. Air Forces Africa. Command of air operations on the African continent was given to USAFE and 3rd Air Force after the inactivation earlier this year of 17th Air Force.
Speaking at Tuesday’s ceremony, Gen. Carter Ham, commander of U.S. Africa Command, told Breedlove “we look forward to your new role in Africa, where we will need your guidance, your experience and your energy.”
Breedlove comes to Ramstein this time from the Pentagon, where he was the Air Force vice chief of staff for the last 19 months — “my right-hand man,” Schwartz said.
“Always remember, General Breedlove,” Ham said, “that every day in Africa is a day you’re not in the Pentagon.”
Jennifer reports on the U.S. military from Kaiserslautern, Germany, where she writes about the Air Force, Army and DODEA schools. She’s had previous assignments for Stars and Stripes in Japan, reporting from Yokota and Misawa air bases. Before Stripes, she worked for daily newspapers in Wyoming and Colorado. She’s a graduate of the College of William and Mary in Virginia.
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