top story>>New commander takes charge at The Rock

By Staff Sgt. Jacob Barreiro
19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Col. Brian Robinson, 19th Airlift Wing commander, accepted the guidon Jan. 31 and officially assumed command of the 19th AW from Col. Mike Minihan, the outgoing commander.

Lt. Gen. Mark Ramsay, 18th Air Force commander, served as ceremony officiator and spoke enthusiastically about the future of the base.

“This is a great day for the Air Force,” he said during his speech. “It’s a great day for Team Little Rock and the community.” Ramsay would go on to say Little Rock is the busiest base in the Air Force, and will be for the foreseeable future, but he had confidence in the new commander to rise to the standard.

“We replaced the best with the best,” said Ramsay.

In his farewell address Minihan thanked his family, civilian Airmen, Airmen and tenant units on base.

“To have fought with the Black Knights, to call this command my home, has been the honor and privilege of my life, thank you,” he said in his speech.

Robinson said he was excited to join TLR and embraced the opportunity to lead and serve what he says are America’s finest Airmen. He ended his speech by reaffirming the mission of TLR. “Somewhere, someone in the world expects us to deliver for them to prevail, and Team Little Rock will deliver,” he said.