Photo By 1st Lt. Alexis Kula | U.S. Air Force Col. Brandon Westling, right, assumes command of the 89th Operations...... read more read more
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. – U.S. Air Force Col. Brandon Westling assumed command of the 89th Operations Group from outgoing commander Col. Kevin Eley during a formal change of command ceremony presided over by Col. Chris Robinson, the 89th Airlift Wing commander, June 4, 2026.
The ceremony honored Eley’s two-year tenure leading the 790-member group, which comprises four squadrons and two geographically separated units.
Under Eley’s leadership, the group executed 1,898 missions across 80 countries, providing critical global connectivity and executive airlift for the nation's most senior leaders.
Robinson praised Eley's servant leadership during high-stakes global milestones, including the U.S.-Russian presidential summit, the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the repatriation of 13 U.S. hostages and ongoing Iranian peace negotiations.
Eley is departing to take command of the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
Westling, a weapons officer who previously served as a military aide to two U.S. presidents, takes helm of the global executive airlift mission at a pivotal time.
His background includes planning roles for Joint Special Operations Command, combat airdrops, and establishing the Kabani Landing Zone in Syria.
Westling is now charged with carrying forward the Special Air Missions "SAM Fox" legacy and maintaining diplomatic readiness.
The 89th Operations Group is a subordinate element of the 89th Airlift Wing, operating under Air Mobility Command and the Eighteenth Air Force out of Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.
| Date Taken: | 06.04.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.18.2026 08:48 |
| Story ID: | 568100 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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