139th News

Jackson comes home to Communications Flight - New 139th CF commander served there as enlisted

  • Published
  • By Captain Brian Bowman
  • 139th Airlift Wing
St. Joseph --     June 6 was quite a day for Capt. Marcus Jackson and his family.
   Jackson enlisted his wife into the 139th Airlift Wing and assumed command of the 139th Communications Flight on a busy Saturday at Rosecrans during the June UTA.
Jackson, who for several years has been an officer in the Finance Section of the wing, got his start at Rosecrans in the mid-1990s as an enlisted airman in the Comm Flight after leaving active duty.
   "I never thought as an enlisted member I would ever get a chance to be the commander," he said. "You don't accomplish anything in this life ... without good people around you."
   Jackson had about 10 members of his immediate and extended family on hand for the day's events, including his wife Latrick. Latrick Jackson had been enlisted before and came in as a senior airman.
Jackson succeeds Lt. Col. Carl Johnson, who is moving up to be deputy commander of the 139th Mission Support Group. Johnson had commanded the Comm Flight since 1994.
   "I never thought I would command for 15 years," Johnson said, joking, "I never thought I'd be in the same job for 15 years."
   Johnson praised Jackson and predicted he would succeed and that his previous experience in communications would help him.
139th Mission Support Group commander Col. Norm Brosi thanked Johnson for his command service and welcomed him as his deputy. His words for Jackson were a little more sober.
   "You are about to inherit the responsibilities of command," he said, adding a wry grin which drew laughter from approximately 50 people in attendance. "But you are fortunate to have an outstanding former commander (in Johnson) to lean on."
Former 139th wing commander Col. Steve Cotter said that he and vice commander Col. Mike Pankau were sorry to lose Jackson from the wing staff.
"I told him I'd let him go but only if he brought in a more qualified person behind him and he did, when Latrick enlisted," Cotter said, bringing another round of laughter from the crowd.
   Cotter praised Jackson's skill in Finance, working on annual budgets exceeding $50 million.
   "There are two areas where commanders can really go to jail - Environmental and Money (Finance)," Cotter said. "Marcus, thanks for keeping me out of jail."