39th ABW welcomes new commander

  • Published
  • By Capt. Rose Richeson
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Col. Philip McDaniel, former Deputy Director Plans, Programs and Analyses Directorate, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, assumed command of the 39th Air Base Wing from Col. Murrell "Tip" Stinnette at 10 a.m. June 29 in Hangar 4. Lt. Gen. Rod Bishop, 3rd Air Force commander, officiated the ceremony.

"Phil is the perfect warrior to continue Team Incirlik's impressive record of performance," said General Bishop. "This is indeed a great day for USAFE, 3rd Air Force and the men and women of the 39th."

As the deputy director, Colonel McDaniel was responsible for the direction and execution of theater-wide unit basing and force structure actions and the command's Program Objective Memorandum process.

The directorate is also the lead agent for Theater Security Cooperation activities designed to further relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance air forces and other air forces throughout the USAFE area of responsibility, which includes 92 countries.

"As the deputy director Phil's leadership has been critical to the reorganizations that we've been going through for the last two years," said General Bishop.

Colonel McDaniel entered the Air Force after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1981. He completed pilot training in 1982 at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., and is a command pilot with more than 3,100 hours in several fighter aircraft, including 100 hours of combat time in the Persian Gulf. He has flown the F-111, F-117, F-15E and the F-15C.

Colonel McDaniel has served in more than 20 assignments over his 26-year career.

Among his assignments he was: commander of the 9th Fighter Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., from April 2000 - February 2001, Special Air Operations chief, Headquarters AIRNORTH, NATO, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, from June 2001 - July 2003, and vice commander of the 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, from February 2004 - May 2005.

"Earlier in his career as vice commander of the 48th Fighter Wing ... he led the 48th to the highest possible fully mission-capable rate during their 2004 NATO operation evaluation," General Bishop said.

Throughout his assignment at USAFE, Incirlik's own Major Command Headquarters, Colonel McDaniel was in a position to observe the accomplishments of the 39th Air Base Wing and was more than impressed with what he saw.

"While stationed at Ramstein over the last couple of years I've watched in awe at your incredible accomplishments and it's truly been outstanding," said Colonel McDaniel. "The number of awards in the last year alone - over 65 MAJCOM and above - that's truly an amazing feat and I must say I'm very impressed by the capability, hard work and motivation of everyone that is a part of Team Incirlik."

During the Change of Command ceremony Colonel McDaniel challenged the members of 39th ABW to take the wing to the next level as he addressed them for the first time.

"We cannot rest for a moment lest we lose our edge," the new commander said. "We must stay out in front, leading USAFE in every way possible and expanding this wing to even greater heights than it has already achieved."