Photo By David Kujawa | Brig. Gen. Rolf E. Mammen holds the 127th Wing guidon after taking command of the...... read more read more
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Brig. Gen. Rolf E. Mammen took command of the 127th Wing during a change of command ceremony at Selfridge Air National Guard Base during the May 2019 regularly scheduled drill of the 127th Wing.
The ceremony, which took place before most of the 1,700 Citizen-Airmen of the 127th Wing, saw Brig. Gen. John D. Slocum relinquish command of the wing to Mammen. The ceremony’s presiding officer was Major Gen. Leonard Isabelle, the commander of the Michigan Air National Guard, of which the 127th Wing is the largest component.
As 127th Wing commander, Mammen also serves as the commander of Selfridge, which has more than 40 tenant military and Dept. of Homeland Security commands, representing more than 4,500 personnel.
Several hundred of the 127th Wing’s Airmen were on a deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in Southwest Asia. Mammen noted that even as the 127th Wing changes command, the mission of the Wing continues, as demonstrated by the deployed Airmen.
Mammen had been serving as the director of operations for the Michigan Air National Guard prior to his promotion to the Wing commander’s role. Slocum is retiring from the military.
“General Mammen isn’t a stranger to most people here at the wing, he has served in many leadership roles over the years,” Isabelle, said during the ceremony. “He is my number one pick for this job, Gen. Mammen has the best understanding of the 127th Wing of anyone in the state.”
Mammen was commissioned in 1986 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Michigan State University. After spending several years on active duty as a pilot with the Air Force, he joined the Michigan Air National Guard in 1994. Prior to his most recent posting at Michigan Joint Forces Headquarters in Lansing, Mammen previously served as the 127th Wing vice commander, commander of the 127th Maintenance Squadron and in other leadership roles. He is a command pilot with over 3,000 flight hours, primarily as a C-130 Hercules pilot.
“I was so excited to come back to this organization,” Mammen said. “Gen. Slocum has done a great job connecting the Airmen to this community, I plan to keep doing the same.”
During Slocum’s tenure, the 127th Wing earned the Spaatz Award, presented to the top flying wing in the Air National Guard; earned an Air Force Meritorious Unit Award; and celebrated milestone anniversaries of the base (100 years) and the 127th Wing’s two flying units, the 107th Fighter Squadron (100 years) and the 171st Air Refueling Squadron (75 years).
“Being able to work with the Airmen here has been a highlight of a 35-year career,” said Slocum, the outgoing commander. “Everyone has done a fantastic job and it has been my pleasure to serve you.”
Mammen expressed his gratitude for the members of the 127th Wing, going on to say he couldn’t do his job at Selfridge if it weren’t for all the Airmen doing their job so proficiently.”
“The way I see it, it’s my job to help you do your job,” said Mammen. “It’s my honor to work for you.”
| Date Taken: | 05.04.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 05.04.2019 17:25 |
| Story ID: | 320756 |
| Location: | MI, US |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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