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Seventh Air Force welcomes new commander

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Brok McCarthy
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  Seventh Air Force personnel welcomed their 30th commander Monday during a change-of-command ceremony here, which was presided over by Gen. B.B. Bell, U.S. Forces Korea commander.

Lt. Gen. Stephen G. Wood assumed command from Lt. Gen. Garry R. Trexler, who is retiring to Nashville, Tenn. Along with being the 7th Air Force commander, Lt. Gen. Wood becomes the United Nations Command deputy commander, USFK deputy commander and Air Component Command commander.

The general spoke briefly at the ceremony saying, "It is, for me, an honor of a lifetime to command this historic Seventh Air Force and serve as the Combined Forces Command Air Component Command commander."

He also said he plans to work hard to ensure 7th Air Force remains a good neighbor to the Korean people and keep a strong alliance with the Korean military to remain a strong deterrent.

General Bell said Lt. Gen. Wood is completely qualified and ready for his roll as Seventh Air Force and ACC commander.

"(His) past tours in Korea and Japan ensures there will be no soft seams as we change commands," General Bell said. "I am 100 percent certain that the readiness to fight tonight that we enjoyed last night will be continued this afternoon, tonight and into the future."

Prior to coming here, Lt. Gen. Wood was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs at the Air Force headquarters in Washington D.C.

This is Lt. Gen. Wood's second Korean tour. From July 1996 to June 1997 he was the 8th Operations Group commander at Kunsan.