Assumption and Change Of Command Ceremony for 927th Maintenance Group Units

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shawn Rhodes
  • 927th Air Refueling Wing
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  On a busy Unit Training Assembly weekend, every second counts. For that reason, on Saturday March 2, 2013, the 927th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 927th Maintenance Operations Flight hosted a change of command and assumption of command ceremony, respectively.

Major Albert Knapp took command of the 972th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron from Lt. Col. David Farmer, who assumed command of the 927th Military Operations Flight.
After the colors were posted and invocation read, Lt. Col. Dorneen Shipp, the commander of the 927th Maintenance Group, spoke a few words about each of the units under her command.

"I'd be willing to bet our Maintenance Operations Flight has the highest level of readiness of any MOF in the Air Force Reserve," said Shipp.

She then mentioned the Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's outgoing commander.

"Farmer consistently gives me one message about the maintenance squadron here, and that is how proud he is of you," Shipp said. "He continues to take an immense amount of pride in what you do and in each other."

Knapp, who joins the 927th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron from the 752nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at March Air Reserve Base, Calif., was next to rise and speak to the maintenance squadron about his expectations of his Airmen.

"First, know that I'm going to work for you," Knapp said. "Next know that I need you to do three things for me: Stay current, stay qualified, and be ready to fight. Do that and we'll succeed."

Farmer rose next and addressed his former unit and his new flight.

"I'm sad to be leaving, but I know I'm leaving the maintenance squadron in the hands of a talented officer," Farmer said. "No matter where you go in maintenance, you'll find the same caliber of people."