403rd Wing passes the guidon to a new commander

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tabitha Dupas
  • 403rd Wing/ Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS. --  Col. Jay Jensen assumed command of the 403rd Wing from Brig. Gen. James J. Muscatell Jr. during a change of command ceremony held at the Bay Breeze Event Center here May 12.

Colonel Jensen comes to the 403rd Wing from Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. where he was the programs division chief.

Prior to assuming command, Colonel Jensen had an opportunity to sit down with General Muscatell to discuss the wing's Wildly Important Goals. Colonel Jensen plans to continue with the WIGs of keeping the wing current on Enlisted/ Officer Performance Reports and Individual Medical Readiness. However, he stated his main focus will be the Operational Readiness Inspection.

"The wing is in the middle of preparations for the ORI, and I am ready to pick up the reins and make it happen," said Colonel Jensen. "We have a lot to do in a short amount of time, but knowing the reputation of this wing, I know we are going to do great."

Although he is taking command of the 403rd Wing in the middle of ORI preparation, the mission here is not foreign to him.

Colonel Jensen came here in April 1999 as a C/WC-130J deputy test director/operations officer, then became 815th Airlift Squadron chief of tactics in July 2001. In March 2004, he was named 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron director of operations and moved on to become 403rd Operations Group commander. He has been away for nearly three years.

"I'm glad to be back," he said. "I look forward to focusing more on areas in the wing that I haven't known much about in the past. When I was here, I mainly dealt with the flying squadrons. Now I have the opportunity to get out and visit the support missions and help them with any roadblocks they may be facing."

Along with Colonel Jensen is his wife, Chantel, who is ready to embrace the families of the 403rd Wing.

"It is so nice to come back to Keesler," said Mrs. Jensen. "We already know a lot of people here, which makes the transition easier. I look forward to working with the spouses and family members, they are extremely important to the mission as well."

Though the 403rd Wing welcomes a new commander, they say goodbye to another. Maj. Gen. James T. Rubeor pins the Legion of Merit Medal, second oak leaf cluster, on the outgoing commander, General Muscatell, during the ceremony.  He is leaving the wing to become the mobilization assistant to the director of operations for the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott AFB, Ill. 

As he gave his speech, he recalled his vision for the 403rd to become a place of which people want to be a part, where the Citizen Airmen soar above the rest.

"We have sent the message loud and clear," said General Muscatel. "The 403rd [Wing] is the wing of choice and though it is a compliment, there is more to it."

During the ceremony, he began to tell a story of Col. Gail S. Halvorsen, U.S. Air Force pilot and the Berlin Candy Bomber. Colonel Halvorsen was known as the Chocolate Pilot, among many other nicknames. He would drop candy that was tied to little parachutes from his C-54 during the Berlin Airlift. It was said that this act brought morale and hope during a dark time to the young people who caught the sugary treats. General Muscatell recalled the colonel's famous quote, "Without hope, the soul dies."

"The members of this wing give hope to the people on the coastline, in Afghanistan and Iraq," said General Muscatell. "I am not only leaving the wing of choice, but a wing that gives hope to the world. Continue giving that hope."

He appreciated his wife, Nancy, during the ceremony for standing beside him as they conquer the next journey together. He assured that the wing was being left in the hands of a highly qualified and motivated man.

"I cannot think of a better person for this job," said General Muscatell. "Colonel Jensen knows the wing well and will take it to a higher level that I can only dream of."

"There are many wings in AFRC that I could have been sent to and it is special to come here because it is like an unexpected homecoming," said Colonel Jensen.