NW Democrat-Gazette

New commander named at base’s 19th Airlift Wing

AINSLEY PLATT

LITTLE ROCK — According to the new commander of Little Rock Air Force Base’s 19th Airlift Wing, Thursday was an extremely rare day.

“It is rare to take the flag from a friend,” Col. Denny Davies said as he addressed the gathered crowd of military families and personnel and local leaders at a changeof-command ceremony. “It is extremely rare to take the flag from a best friend. Today is one of those extremely rare occasions.”

That best friend is outgoing 19th Airlift Wing Commander Col. Angela Ochoa, who has commanded the wing, known as the “Black Knights,” since 2021 and will be taking command of the 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

Davies is coming from the 86th Airlift Wing based at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where he was the vice commander. Both Ochoa and Davies fly C-130s, with Ochoa logging more than 2,900 flight hours and Davies logging more than 2,500.

In a change-of-command ceremony Thursday morning, Ochoa handed the guidon — and by extension, the responsibility for thousands of military and civilian personnel that work at the base — over to Davies.

The 19th Airlift is the host unit of the Jacksonville base, which also trains the military personnel of the U. S. and its allies in the operation of C-130 aircraft. The wing also operates 52 C-130s — the largest number of any wing in the Air Force.

Before officially handing over command to Davies, Ochoa reflected on her time as commander, from taking command during the covid-19 pandemic to the Afghanistan withdrawal and beyond. She also thanked her husband, Raul, and her two daughters, along with many of the people she worked closely with during her time in command.

“During the last two years we witnessed and participated in the Afghanistan withdrawal. We watched in horror the biggest land invasion of a neighboring country since World War II, and we executed a pivotal shift in our focus of how we train for combat — and we are only just beginning,” Ochoa said. “The world today is very different from the world two years ago, and I believe that history will look back on and show how our efforts here … paved the way for American success and victory.”

Ochoa was recognized for her work leading the wing by being awarded the Legion of Merit, which is awarded for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services,” according to a U.S. Air Force website.

Amongst other things, Ochoa established the wing’s first group session therapy program and embedded nine mental health professionals in units to address the growing mental health needs of military personnel.

She also expanded its virtual reality center, which “developed and empowered 3,700 Airmen,” according to ceremony host and commander of the 18th Air Force Maj. Gen. Corey Martin.

Martin, who also handed the guidon to Davies during the ceremony, expressed confidence in Davies’ ability to continue building on Ochoa’s accomplishments.

“Your incoming commander has a long and distinguished list of accomplishments that uniquely qualify him to lead you to greatness,” Martin said. “Denny, with your proven skill and ability, I have confidence your airmen will reach new heights.”

For Davies, being able to take over command from Ochoa was “the honor of a lifetime.”

“Thank you for your leadership, your passion for service, and your heartfelt friendship over the years. You are leaving an incredible legacy of success here at Little Rock Air Force Base,” Davies said, addressing the outgoing commander.

“It is extremely rare to take the flag from a best friend. Today is one of those extremely rare occasions.”

— Col. Denny Davies, new commander of Little Rock Air Force Base’s 19th Airlift Wing

Northwest Arkansas

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2023-06-02T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-02T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://edition.nwaonline.com/article/281917367465420

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