News

Wing change of command is Sept. 9

  • Published
  • By Sandra Pishner
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  One man is going from tankers to transports, the other from planes to people. 

Col. William Flanigan takes command of the 446th Airlift Wing Sept. 9 at 10 a.m., in front of Hangar 4, flightline side. Relinquishing command of this C-17 Reserve associate wing will be Brig. Gen. Eric Crabtree. 

General Crabtree departs McChord to assume command of the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver, Colo. In the meantime, Colonel Flanigan has said goodbye to his KC-135 tanker wing, the 939th Air Refueling Wing, Portland, Ore., which is scheduled to deactivate under the Base Realignment and Closing process. 

Presiding at the ceremony is Maj. Gen. Duignan, 4th Air Force commander.
Guests attending the ceremony should be in their seats by 9:30 a.m. Following the ceremony, there will be a open reception at McChord's consolidated club. 

A graduate of California State University, Colonel Flanigan was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of California in June 1977. He has a bachelor of science in mathematics and a bachelor of in science statistics. 

After serving seven years on active duty, the colonel separated active duty and joined the Air Force Reserve in May 1986. He became an air reserve technician in 1987. Colonel Flanigan is a command pilot with more than 6,500 flying hours. He has flown the T-37- T-38, KC-135A/R, and KC-10A.