Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England -- The 100th Air Refueling Wing welcomed Col. Ryan J. Garlow as the new commander during a change of command ceremony at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, July 17, 2023. Officiated by Maj. Gen. Derek C. France, Third Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Garlow took command of the wing from Col. Gene A. Jacobus, the outgoing 100th ARW commander, who is retiring after 23 years of service.
A change of command ceremony is a tradition where the outgoing commander symbolically relinquishes command and authority to the incoming commander. These ceremonies are also an opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishments of the outgoing commander, as well as understand the expectations and vision of the new commander.
As the new commander, Garlow will have full responsibility for supporting four U.S. Air Force major command flying programs as well as more than 16,000 military, civilian, dependent, and retiree personnel. With 15 KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, the Wing is the only permanently assigned air refueling operation in the European and African theater.
“Col. Garlow brings a breadth of experience as a tanker pilot who has commanded both flying and maintenance squadrons and led a logistics division on the Joint Staff at the Pentagon,” said France. “His expertise and guidance have left a lasting impact on every mission and every team he has been a part of.”
It has been almost three years since RAF Mildenhall was announced to remain open after the European Infrastructure Consolidation efforts in 2015. The U.S. Air Force continues to have an enduring presence in the U.K., forging strong military partnerships and generating a positive economic impact for the country.