Photo By Tech. Sgt. Shelton Sherrill | Maj. Gen. Frank Bradfield III, commander of the 22nd Air Force, addresses Airmen,...... read more read more
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KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --
The 403rd Wing welcomed a new commander during an assumption of command ceremony held on Aug. 3 at Keesler Air Force Base, where Col. Jaret Fish officially took command of the Air Force Reserve wing.
Presiding over the ceremony was Maj. General Frank Bradfield III, commander of 22nd Air Force, who praised Fish for his 21 years of military service and leadership, describing him as “the right leader to guide the 403rd Wing through the challenges ahead.”
“Col. Fish is no stranger to this wing—he’s served as the deputy commander and already demonstrated the kind of commitment and excellence we need in this role,” said Bradfield. “He brings experience, humility and purpose to everything he does, and I’m confident the 403rd Wing is in capable hands.”
Fish replaces Col. John Benson, who recently relinquished command as part of a routine reassignment. Due to the nature of Reserve assignments, the transition was marked by an assumption of command ceremony rather than a traditional change of command.
The 403rd Wing has over 1,500 Reserve Citizen Airmen and 20 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. The wing performs tactical airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and weather reconnaissance missions, including the Air Force Reserve’s only aerial weather reconnaissance squadron—the “Hurricane Hunters.”
During his remarks, Fish acknowledged the weight of the moment and thanked his family, colleagues and leadership, who were all in attendance, for their support.
“To the men and women of the 403rd Wing—you’re the reason I do this, and I am truly honored to lead you,” Fish said. “Our mission is clear: to provide combat-ready Airmen who are ready to answer the call at any moment.”
He also laid out his leadership priorities—readiness, development and transformation.
“Readiness is our number one priority,” he said. “We must be trained, equipped and postured to execute the mission. Second, we’ll focus on developing our Airmen—the future leaders of our force. And finally, we must transform—innovate and improve how we complete the mission to stay effective in an evolving world.”
Fish is a 2004 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Army War College. His aviation background includes instructor and evaluator experience with more than 2,500 flying hours in the C-21, KC-10, and C-40 aircraft. He has held numerous leadership roles across both active duty and Reserve components.
The ceremony concluded with a traditional first salute, signifying the official start of Fish’s tenure as commander of the 403rd Wing.
“We are ready now,” Fish said. “And we’re ready for what comes next.”
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.18.2025 14:00 |
| Story ID: | 548525 |
| Location: | BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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