01/07/2017 -- The 79th Air Refueling Squadron welcomed Lt. Col. Joseph Wall as their new commander Jan. 7, 2017, during a change of command ceremony at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Wall takes command of the Air Force Reserve KC-10 Extender squadron after serving as the director of operations for the 821st Contingency Response Group, also at Travis.
The ceremony was much like any other Air Force squadron change of command, save for one uncommon fact; Wall is not a reservist. He has been an active-duty pilot for more than 15 years.
The move to select an officer to command a unit from another component is part of an Air Force strategy called Total Force integration, which leverages all active duty, reserve and guard assets and talents to meet demanding mission requirements. In this case, Col. Raymond Kozak, the commander of the 349th Air Mobility Wing, was able to search outside his reserve wing when he went looking for the best available candidate to lead the 79th ARS.
According to an article published in 2015 by the Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs, Total Force integration is not just a new way of doing business, it is essential to accomplishing the Air Force mission. The article quoted former Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, as saying, “We are one Air Force. We’re committed to this idea and it’s foundational to the way we present our capabilities. We’re not going to be operationally successful any other way.”
Wall’s assignment is the first of its kind at Travis, but it’s not an Air Force first. Since 2015 at least eight reserve and active-duty officers were assigned to leadership positions outside their component.
Wall acknowledges that reservists get the job done a little differently than active duty, and that may initially present a learning curve, but he’s no stranger to the Reserve or the 79th ARS.
“The KC-10 community at Travis inter-fly so much, that I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t flying against a formation or deploying with a reservist,” said Wall. “I always look to reservist as the in-house subject matter experts because they don’t tend to veer into other career fields or specialties. They are experts in the KC-10, and I love tapping in to that wealth of knowledge, and emphasizing how valuable they are to the community as a whole.”
At the ceremony, Lt. Col. Daniel Stout, acting 349th Operations Group commander, told the Citizen Airmen of the 79th ARS that the Air Force made a great decision when they chose Wall to lead them.
“I assure you he is up to the task,” said Stout. “No one is more qualified than Lt. Col. Wall. Considering his experience as a KC-10 pilot, with contingency response missions, and as an Olmsted Scholar, it was an easy decision. He will take care of you, so you can take care of the mission.”
After accepting the squadron guidon in the shadow of a KC-10, Wall voiced gratitude for the extraordinary opportunity, and spoke directly to the Citizen Airmen now in his charge.
“Expect me to learn as much as I can, to be the best advocate you need and deserve as your commander. I look forward to working for you, flying with you and making the squadron a great place to serve.”