69th Fighter Squadron welcomes new commander

  • Published
  • By Maj. Elizabeth Magnusson
  • 944th Fighter Wing
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The 69th Fighter Squadron welcomed a new commander at a change-of-command ceremony here March 1. The Werewolves legacy passed from Lt. Col. Robert Whitehouse to Lt. Col. Gerald Brown in a ceremony presided over by Col. Kurt Gallegos, commander, 944th Fighter Wing.

"Col. Brown, you are the perfect choice to lead this great squadron in the coming year," said Whitehouse. "Werewolves, in November of 2011 I stated your performance and devotion to our nation's defense were second to none, and you were the Air Force model for Total Force. Not only was that true then, but thanks to all of your recent efforts it's more true than ever as our squadron's legacy has grown both here at Luke and on the battlefields of Southwest Asia."

"Col. Whitehouse my friend, I am truly honored to follow in your footsteps as Wolf1," said Brown. "Thank you for your tireless efforts."

As commander of the 69th FS, Col. Brown is now responsible for 56 members of the United States Air Force Reserve's most experienced F-16 squadron.

"Werewolves, we often pride ourselves on our sense of humor and our fighter pilot swagger, however, we share a common but unspoken bond between us and those who have gone before us," said Brown. "We are all very aware of the reality that building fighter pilots for the defense of our nation is a deadly serious business. I thank you for your precision, your passion, and your commitment to our mission."

Brown was commissioned in 1989 as a distinguished graduate of ROTC from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and is a Command Pilot with 3,600 hours in the F-16, including 400 combat hours. He has held numerous staff positions including his most recent assignment as Deputy Commander, 56th Operations Group. Brown's flying experience includes multiple deployments in support of Operation Southern Watch, the 1st Air Expeditionary Force, Bahrain, and to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"I am supremely confident in Col. Brown's ability and am excited for him to take command of the squadron during these exciting times," said Gallegos. "There are going to be a lot of changes, from the arrival of the F-35 to the movement of aircraft to Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; and I don't think we could have better person for the job."

"I look forward to the future challenges that we will face together, and I know there are many," Brown said. "I am excited to wear the Werewolf patch on my right shoulder again and I'm honored to be a part of this incredible team."

The 69th FS provides fully qualified, combat ready, U. S. Air Force Reserve Command F-16 Instructor Pilots to support all aspects of the 56th Fighter Wing formal course training, as well as supporting the contingency deployment needs of the Combat Air Forces. Luke AFB trains 90% of all Combat Air Forces F-16 pilots and 100% of all United States Air Force's F-16 crew chiefs.