Photo By Shelton Keel | U.S. Air Force Col. James Fields II, 505th Test and Training Group commander, left,...... read more read more
Lt. Col. Daniel “Mayo” Ray assumed command of the 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron from Lt. Col. William "Ralphie" Short during a change of command ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Florida, June 12.
Col. James “Denzel” Fields II, 505th Test and Training Group commander, presided over the ceremony, transferring the guidon and emphasizing the squadron's vital role in testing and fielding the command and control systems required to operate in the modern information environment.
“You made remarkable strides in posturing the squadron and the broader C2ISR [C2 intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] operational test community for success,” Fields said, reflecting on Short's impact. “This directly enabled the execution of the Air Force’s Long-Range Kill Chain Mission Under Test Strategy.”
Fields then highlighted why Ray's background and vision make him the right leader to carry the mission forward.
“Your mandate now is to lead boldly through uncertainty and change while maintaining and strengthening the connected tissue between the C2 warfighting community and the test enterprise,” Fields said. “I have confidence that you are the right leader for this moment, and that you will work tirelessly to ensure our C2ISR capabilities remain integrated and at the forefront of modern warfare.”
Short departs the squadron to attend the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Reflecting on his command, Short commended the squadron’s personnel for their unwavering dedication to ensuring warfighters maintain a constant tactical advantage across all domains.
“What I'm most proud of is that our Airmen never lost sight of who we serve,” Short said. “Every test, every report, every recommendation ultimately traces back to a warfighter who depends on C2 systems to make decisions faster, coordinate forces more effectively, and prevail in combat.”
During his tenure, Short championed a paradigm shift known as Mission Under Test. This transition shifted the squadron toward assessing the resilience of integrated data convergence and joint force mission readiness, rather than focusing on isolated system evaluations.
“We increasingly focused on evaluating how integrated capabilities contribute to operational outcomes across the long-range kill chain,” Short said. “Wars are not won by individual platforms or software applications. They are won by teams of systems, operators, and decision-makers working together to create decision advantage.”
Ray, who previously served as the squadron’s director of operations, steps into the commander role deeply familiar with the unit's critical mission. He emphasized a continued focus on rigorous, operationally realistic testing to ensure joint and coalition forces seamlessly integrate non-kinetic effects and outpace adversary decision cycles.
“The 605th TES will continue to integrate at every stage of development,” Ray said. “By consistently applying an operational lens to assess our weapon systems, we will accelerate critical feedback to developers and drive the Air Force toward true decision superiority.”
To ensure U.S. forces maintain spectrum and data superiority, Ray noted that his top priorities include integrated testing with developmental partners and the proactive creation of tactics, techniques, and procedures for human-machine teaming well before formal operational test phases.
“This reduces the time operators need to fully employ new systems once fielded, guaranteeing immediate combat effectiveness,” Ray added. “Our systems are used for combat operations, and it should never be the front-line operator who tests a system's limits for the first time.”
Ray credited the squadron's unique blend of operations, communications, and acquisition professionals, spanning both military and civilian personnel, as the foundation for evaluating complex, software-driven systems with true operational realism.
“I am honored to lead this group of highly capable professionals who are both technical and tactical experts,” Ray said to the squadron as he assumed command. “I will do everything I can to support you as we execute our critical mission of operational testing.”
The 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron, a subordinate unit of the 505th Test and Training Group, conducts operational testing and evaluation of C2 systems. Through this critical mission, the squadron plays an enduring role in shaping the future of combined joint all-domain command and control, ensuring joint and coalition warfighters possess the integrated battle management capabilities required to dominate across all domains.
| Date Taken: | 06.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2026 12:24 |
| Story ID: | 568006 |
| Location: | HURLBURT FIELD, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Ray assumes command of 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron, by Debora Henley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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