HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The 705th Training Squadron welcomed Lt. Col. Benjamin “Dragon” Lee and said farewell to Lt. Col. Marcus Bryan during a change of command ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, June 2.
The change of command ceremony is a military tradition, representing a formal transfer of a unit’s authority and responsibility from one commander to another. Col. Adam Shelton, 505th Test and Training Group commander, presided over the ceremony.
Before Lt. Col. Lee accepted the guidon and command, Lt. Col. Bryan shared, “The men and women of the 705th TRS have executed the mission with the highest level of professionalism while navigating unprecedented changes in the unit. Moreover, they have been at the center of many efforts influencing the evolution of command and control across the Air Force. I thank them for their unwavering support to the mission and of me and my family.”
Lt. Col. Bryan continued, “It has been an honor to serve with the Owls. We were able to deliver Air Force-wide impacts advancing C2 training and concepts. The unit was able to rapidly pivot from sunsetting of a major training program to building an O-6 Air Component Senior Leader Course, an XAB [Expeditionary Air Base]/Lead Wing C2 Course, and the evolution of all the remaining courses that we execute. If that was not enough, they executed outside their primary skill set by developing an air component replication cell capability for Agile Flag and Red Flag, setting the foundation for future AFFORGEN [Air Force Generation model] training and certification baselines.”
As the commander, Lt. Col. Lee will execute a $7.2M training portfolio that provides advanced, operational-level multi-domain C2 training & tactics development for joint/coalition senior leaders, air operations centers & Air Force Forces warfighters, & sensitive technical operations planners.
The 705th TRS is the focal point for advanced AOC and AFFOR education and C2 process improvement. The squadron educates and trains AOC and AFFOR staff members of Combatant and Numbered Air Force commanders, joint, and allied partners. The squadron’s newest mission provides wing-level C2 training, in preparation for XAB, Wing Operations Centers and Air Combat Command's Lead Wings to effectively generate and sustain airpower from distributed locations in an Agile Combat Employment environment.
Lt. Col. Lee’s previous assignment was the 705th TRS director of operations, managing Air Combat Command’s advanced operational C2 training programs, including the Air Force’s premier operational planning course: Command and Control Warrior Advanced Course. Lt. Col. Bryan will continue his career on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Strategy, Plans and Policy staff, in Naples, Italy.
Col. Shelton thanked Lt. Col. Bryan for an incredible job as leader and assured members in attendance that the squadron was in capable hands with Lt. Col. Lee.
The passing of the squadron guidon culminates achievements for the 705th TRS under Lt. Col. Bryan’s command and reflects confidence under the command of Lt. Col. Lee.
Addressing the Owls for the first time as commander, Dragon thanked Airmen physically and virtually present for their steadfast efforts to achieve mission success.
“From Airmen in a WOC to JFACCs [Joint Forces Air Component commander] in an AOC, and everyone in-between, you can be assured that the Owls have directly impacted their success. Don’t let the small size of the 705th fool you, the effectiveness of our Air Force to deliver war-winning airpower to the joint force commander is a direct result of the training provided by our Owl instructors,” said Lt Col Lee.
Lt. Col. Lee finished with, “I am humbled to have the honor of being ‘Owl One’ and am looking forward to leading this team of all-stars as we face the challenge of preparing operational C2 leaders for the complexity of tomorrow’s conflicts.”