Changes of Command Saves Time

A double change of command happened here Oct 14 when two new lieutenant colonels took command of the 940th Air Refueling Wing Aircraft Maintenance and Maintenance Squadrons.

First, Lt. Col. John Neubecker relinquished command of MXS, then turned around and took command of AMXS.

“I am not going far,” said Neubecker. “I’m just going down the road. I am proud of what I am leaving behind, and excited about what I am stepping into. I am transitioning to another part of the 940th family.”

Neubecker said that two years ago the unit had one aircraft and now there is eight, and he was proud of the way the unit has built up since then.

“MXS turns the jobs to AMXS so we can turn and burn,” he said. “I don’t have to take the pride from MXS with me to AMXS because it is already there.”

Next, it was Lt. Col. Tom Potter’s turn to accept the guidon from Neubecker and take command of MXS.

“I want to thank wing leadership for putting their faith and trust in me to run this squadron, and I want to thank Lt. Col. Neubecker for handing me such an awesome squadron,” Potter said.

He comes from a long line of veterans including World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the War on Terror. 

“I look forward to continuing the legacy built here in the squadron by Lt. Col. Nuebecker, and from my family throughout history,” he said.

Col. Joseph Orcutt, 940th Maintenance Group commander, said he handpicked both Nuebecker and Potter because he know they would both be outstanding squadron commanders. He also wanted to save time of the Airmen by doing the dual ceremony.

Looking at his watch, he said, “I was told at first that I couldn’t pull a ceremony like this off, but here we are at 32 minutes and we are done.”

Neubecker and Potter will be in command here for at least two years.

A double change of command happened here Oct 14 when two new lieutenant colonels took command of the 940th Air Refueling Wing Aircraft Maintenance and Maintenance Squadrons.

First, Lt. Col. John Neubecker relinquished command of MXS, then turned around and took command of AMXS.

“I am not going far,” said Neubecker. “I’m just going down the road. I am proud of what I am leaving behind, and excited about what I am stepping into. I am transitioning to another part of the 940th family.”

Neubecker said that two years ago the unit had one aircraft and now there is eight, and he was proud of the way the unit has built up since then.

“MXS turns the jobs to AMXS so we can turn and burn,” he said. “I don’t have to take the pride from MXS with me to AMXS because it is already there.”

Next, it was Lt. Col. Tom Potter’s turn to accept the guidon from Neubecker and take command of MXS.

“I want to thank wing leadership for putting their faith and trust in me to run this squadron, and I want to thank Lt. Col. Neubecker for handing me such an awesome squadron,” Potter said.

He comes from a long line of veterans including World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the War on Terror. 

“I look forward to continuing the legacy built here in the squadron by Lt. Col. Nuebecker, and from my family throughout history,” he said.

Col. Joseph Orcutt, 940th Maintenance Group commander, said he handpicked both Nuebecker and Potter because he know they would both be outstanding squadron commanders. He also wanted to save time of the Airmen by doing the dual ceremony.

Looking at his watch, he said, “I was told at first that I couldn’t pull a ceremony like this off, but here we are at 32 minutes and we are done.”

Neubecker and Potter will be in command here for at least two years.