JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. —
The 628th Air Base Wing and Joint Base Charleston will change leaders Jul. 6 as Col. Jeffrey W. Nelson assumes command from Col. Robert K. Lyman during a 9 a.m. ceremony at JB Charleston, S.C.
Maj. Gen. Christopher J. Bence, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander, will preside at the ceremony. With more than 60 joint base mission partners, Team Charleston comprises Air Force, Navy, Army, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Homeland Security and other Department of Defense missions making Charleston a joint logistics, transportation and engineering hub and the worldwide leader in moving people, vehicles, munitions and supplies via air, land, sea and rail, ‘The launch point for the nation’s resolve.’
As the commander of the 628th Air Base Wing and Joint Base Charleston, Lyman provided installation support to a total force of more than 90,000 Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, civilians, dependents and retirees across the installation.
Lyman took command July 2015 and is scheduled for an assignment to Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he will be the Director of Communications.
Replacing him is Col. Jeffrey W. Nelson. Nelson received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1997. He is a graduate of the C-17 Weapons Instructor Course and is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in the C-17, T-1A and T-37B. He has flown combat missions in operations Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He has commanded at the squadron level and also served on the staff at Headquarters United States Central Command and Headquarters Seventh Air Force.
Prior to assuming his current position, Nelson was the Vice Commander of the 437th Airlift Wing here at Joint Base Charleston where he was responsible for the deployment of Airmen and aircraft worldwide in support of contingency operations that involve the airland and airdrop delivery of forces, equipment and supplies supporting combat operations.
A change of command is a military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit from one commanding or flag officer to another.
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