Photo By Michael Dougherty | In a change of command ceremony at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla, Lt. Col. Ryan Sealy...... read more read more
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The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here held a change of command ceremony on June 23, 2025.
After serving nearly two years as the AFRCC commander, Lt. Col. Ryan Sealy relinquished command to Lt. Col. Brian Scott, AFRCC’s former director of operations. Lt. Gen. Luke Ahmann, commander of the Continental U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Region – First Air Force (Air Forces Northern and Air Forces Space) presided over the ceremony.
“Ryan’s command tour was anything but mundane,” said Ahmann. “He constantly strived to improve his and his team’s performance, embracing our C1AA commitment to be 1% better, every day. He was instrumental in ensuring the resiliency of AFRCC, understanding wholly the culture of his team and what issues needed improving, and what needed sustaining.”
Regarding the incoming commander, Ahmann said Lt. Col. Scott was the right leader for the job.
“Beyond his impressive qualifications, Brian embodies the dedication and commitment to service that are essential to leading the AFRCC,” said Ahmann. “I am confident that Brian will build upon Lt. Col. Sealy’s accomplishments and his leadership will inspire the team to continue exceeding expectations and delivering exceptional results in our life-saving mission.”
An age-old tradition of passing of flags, or colors, symbolized the change in leadership as Scott steps into his responsibilities as commander, and Lt. Gen. Ahmann welcomed him aboard.
“Following in the footsteps of such a dedicated leader as Lt. Col. Sealy is a true honor,” said Scott. “I am humbled and feel that it is an immense privilege to take command of such a talented and dedicated group of professionals that make up the AFRCC. I look forward to serving alongside this remarkable team, as we work tirelessly to fulfill our vital mission of saving lives.”
This year, the AFRCC marked a significant milestone, surpassing 20,000 lives saved during its history of coordinating search and rescue operations. The milestone was reached May 28, 2025, during the rescue of two stranded hikers in Boise County, Idaho.
On behalf of the United States inland search and rescue coordinator, the commander U.S. Northern Command, the AFRCC serves as the single agency responsible for coordinating airborne and on-land federal support of SAR activities in the 48 contiguous United States. Additionally, the AFRCC maintains close contact with Mexico and Canada for mutual support of civil SAR across North America.
Falling under AFNORTH, the AFRCC operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The center directly ties into the Federal Aviation Administration's alerting system and the U.S. Mission Control Center. In addition to the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking information, the AFRCC computer system contains resource files that list federal and state organizations, which can conduct or assist in SAR efforts throughout North America.
In 2024, AFRCC handled 13,794 incidents, launching 478 missions and saving 231 lives. The agency resolves 96% of its cases through phone and online investigations, saving an estimated $15.2 million and more than 958,000 work hours by avoiding the need to deploy federal resources.
For additional information, visit Facebook.com/FirstAirForce or X.com/1stAF
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2025 17:25 |
| Story ID: | 542603 |
| Location: | FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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