Support detachment to AATTC gets new commander

Published July 15, 2011
By Maj. Brian Bowman
139th Airlift Wing

ST. JOSEPH, Mo -- Lt. Col. Christopher M. Parker assumed command responsibilities for an Air Mobility Command detachment located at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in a ceremony here July 15.

Parker becomes the second commander of Detachment 5, HQ AMC Air Operations Squadron since its move here in 2009 to more closely align with the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center it serves.

As such, AATTC commander Col. Vince Teuber officiated the Assumption of Command ceremony.

"Here we are at a Guard base with an active duty member assuming command and a reservist officiating the ceremony," Teuber told the crowd of approximately 100. "This is what Total Force Integration is all about."

Before the ceremony, Parker said that jointness attracted him to the job.

"The thing I'm most excited about is that this is a TFI experience," he said. "There are challenges with that, but also opportunities you don't always get on an active duty base."

Parker will have two major duties. One revolves around tactics development, or incorporating the latest lessons from the battle space into AATTC classrooms. The other is helping ensure nearly 20 active duty members here are being properly serviced through their administrative support, located at Whiteman AFB near Knob Noster.

Parker replaces Lt. Col. Edward Esteron, also an active duty officer who is now stationed at a base in Japan.