349th Maintenance Group welcomes news commander

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Robert Couse-Baker
  • 349th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Col. Jeff Pickard took command of the 349th Maintenance Group from Col. Sonny Giddings in a ceremony officiated by Col. Matt Burger, commander of the 349th Air Mobility Wing, at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., Sept. 22, 2013.

Addressing guests from the 60th and 349th Air Mobility Wings, Pickard said, "I'm really stoked and honored for this opportunity to work with you guys take this to the next level."

The new group commander comes to the 349th MXG after serving as the commander 507th Maintenance Group, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., which maintains a unit-equipped fleet of 12 KC-135R Stratotankers.

Pickard noted the exemplary performance and reputation of the Travis maintenance community and called it "awe inspiring" and a testimony to the leadership of Colonel Giddings and Colonel Mark Webber, 60th Maintenance Group commander.

Burger also praised Giddings for his 10 years of command experience in the Air Force Reserve and for his dedicated service to the nation.

The outgoing group commander offered thanks to the men and women of the 349th MXG, "I thank you from the bottom of my heart." Giddings will stay on at the 349th AMW, managing key projects on the wing staff.

The wing commander welcomed Pickard and his family, and said "We're glad you're here on our team."

Pickard entered the Air Force in 1980 and served as an enlisted aircraft avionics maintenance technician and was commissioned in 1989 after graduation from the United States Air Force Officers Training School. He separated from active duty in 1992 and started his career in the Air Force Reserve.

A career maintenance officer, the colonel has deployed five times to expeditionary units in Europe, the Pacific and Southwest Asia as a maintenance officer in support of operations Ensuring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.