Change of Command held for JBER’s largest organization on base

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (KTUU) - After serving two years in Alaska, outgoing Commander of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), and the 673d Air Base Wing (ABW), U.S. Air Force Col. David Wilson passed the flag to incoming Commander Col. Lisa Mabbutt at a change of command ceremony held July 16.

It was the second ceremony of its kind in as many days after Col. Kevin Jamieson turned over command of JBER’s 3rd Wing to Col. Charles Schuck the day prior.

Wilson’s leadership over the 673d — a wing of the Air Force comprised of over 5,500 joint military and civilian personnel, that includes 55 mission partners — was his 17th assignment in his decorated military career.

“I’ve been all over the world — Africa and Europe and Guam and all over the U.S. and parts in between — and so I was excited about it,” Wilson said about learning he’d be stationed in Alaska. “This is absolutely the best two years of my Air Force career.”

During the ceremony, the colonel sat between Mabbutt and Lt. Gen. David Nahom, Commander of the Alaska NORAD Region, Alaskan Command, and the 11th Air Force.

Nahom spoke on Wilson’s time on the installation.

“A few months back when Dave’s name came up among several general officers here in the Pacific, a very senior leader in the Air Force made a comment to me: ‘I like his style, he takes care of his people and he’s not afraid to take risks when it’s needed,’” Nahom said while addressing the crowd of people representing various units of the 673d as well as a handful of family members.

“Dave, that’s your legacy.”

Nahom gave several examples of Wilson’s leadership style, including a time when he came up with a solution to an Anchorage School District bus shortage that was set to impact airmen and their families.

After a brief speech of his own, Wilson received his final salute from the men and women of the 673d ABW before Nahom performed the change of command, handing the wing’s flag to Mabbutt, who then received her first salute.

Mabbutt was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Washington and was most recently the commander of the 633d Mission Support Group at Joint Base Langley-Eutis in Virginia. This tour will be her 16th assignment.

“Command is the best job that any of us can hope for and to be able to command this wing at this installation at this time in history, it is absolutely humbling,” Mabbutt said in her address to the room. ”I’m excited to build your trust, I’m excited to lead this time, [and] I’m excited to support your missions. We will protect the homeland, we will project joint forces, and we will power this joint base.”

This will be Mabbutt’s first wing-level command tour.

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