McMullen departs, Smith arrives as 3rd Wing’s new commander

  • Published
  • By Luke Waack
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  The Alaskan Command commander passed the colors of the 3rd Wing to a new leader in a ceremony Aug. 26 at Hangar 1.

Hundreds of service members, family and friends gathered to say goodbye to Air Force Col. John McMullen, as he departed for his next assignment at the 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and to welcome McMullen's successor.

Air Force Lt. Gen. Dana Atkins, ALCOM commander, described how the 3rd Wing's new commander, Air Force Col. Dirk Smith, was hand-selected for the position, having served in key leadership positions as he progressed in his Air Force career.

"Somebody that had a remarkable fighter-ops background, somebody that had some intimacy with the F-22 Raptor, somebody that understood the multi-faceted mission of air defense, air superiority and supremacy," Atkins said.

Smith has also demonstrated the capability to lead in weapons platforms like the C-17 Globemaster III, the E-3 Sentry, the C-130 Hercules and the C-12F Huron, Atkins said.
"When I see you as a squadron commander in fighter-ops, being the number one guy; when I see you as an ops group commander, being the number one guy; when I see you go over and run an air and space operation in our wartime CAOC, and be the number one guy it wasn't really hard to make that decision, because we wanted the very, very best to come to lead our team here," Atkins said.

The new wing commander told the crowd how impressed he was with both the 3rd Wing's operation and the support it receives from base partners.

"Just look at the scope and scale and vast mission that takes place here every day, and it just runs like clockwork," Smith said. "I can't wait to get out amongst all you folks here in the 3rd Wing, as well as all the other folks that get the job done on base here and learn everything I can about the mission and see you in action."

Smith promised his full effort to successfully accomplish the wing mission, while at the same time taking care of Airmen and their families.

The outgoing commander expressed his gratitude and respect for the 3rd Wing team.
"I could not be prouder of the entire 3rd Wing team - I could not be prouder of the entire joint base team - of how we came together time and again to find solutions to problems that sometimes it seemed like there was not a solution," McMullen said.

McMullen also took pride in being part of a joint base, with so many aircraft platforms.
"I can't think of another base that flies F-22s, E-3s, C-17s, C-12s, C-130s and we also have HH-60 rescue helicopters," McMullen said. "What is perhaps even more impressive is that we accomplished this mission by integrating two active-duty wings, a Guard wing and a Reserve Group."

Prior to his arrival in the 3rd Wing, Smith commanded the 609th Air and Space Operations Center, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.

McMullen is scheduled to take command of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Sept. 9.