Photo By Senior Airman Amanda Alvarez | U.S. Air Force Col. Christian Bergtholdt, 325th Fighter Wing commander, prepares to...... read more read more
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TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — U.S. Air Force Col. Christian Bergtholdt completed his final flight as commander of the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, June 22, 2026, marking the end of a two-year tenure that saw Tyndall transition from a rebuilding installation into a fully operational F-35A Lightning II hub.
The traditional “fini flight” preceded Bergtholdt’s change of command on June 23. He took command in July 2024 during a pivotal window for the base, tasked with navigating a $5.1 billion infrastructure rebuild while simultaneously restoring the wing’s combat capabilities.
When Bergtholdt arrived, the wing’s fighter presence was minimal, operating with just eight F-35s and a lean support staff. Over the last two years, the 325th FW expanded into a fully mission-ready force element capable of deploying combat airpower globally.
Part of that rapid growth involved overhauling how the flight line operated. By implementing specialized F-35 capability crews, Tyndall maintainers were able to cut aircraft turn times in half. This shift in maintenance strategy allowed the wing to execute the Air Force’s first-ever F-35 integrated combat turn followed immediately by a live-fire missile shot.
Revitalizing the wing's deployment readiness was another major focus of the last two years. The 325th FW conducted its first major readiness exercises in seven years, which drastically smoothed out deployment hurdles. During these exercises, the wing saw personnel processing times drop by 85% and medical clearance times fall by 30%.
Tyndall also expanded its role as a premier training hub for joint and coalition partners. During Bergtholdt’s command, the installation hosted four iterations of the Checkered Flag exercise, posturing more than 3,000 joint and coalition service members to execute rapid-deployment and combat operations in contested environments.
As Bergtholdt steps down, the 325th FW he leaves behind is vastly different from the one he inherited-- operating not just as an installation under construction, but as a combat-ready fighter wing.
| Date Taken: | 06.22.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.25.2026 14:13 |
| Story ID: | 568581 |
| Location: | TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 20 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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