FORT CARSON, Colo. – Service members, families and friends of the 13th Air Support Operations Squadron gathered at Founders Field to bid farewell to Lt. Col. Thomas P. Moore, and welcome Lt. Col. Cory S. Jeffers, during a change of command ceremony, June 13.
The 13th ASOS is an Air Force unit stationed on Fort Carson, which integrates and controls air and space power, in support of 4th Infantry Division operations.
Moore has served as commander of the 13th ASOS since June 2011, and is set to deploy to Afghanistan as the deputy commander of the 504th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group.
During Moore’s time in command, ASOS deployed 60 percent of its airmen, ran more than two thousand missions, assisting in the capture of 70 high value targets, and became one of the three out of seven squadrons to achieve an excellent rating from the Air Combat Command Inspector General Team.
“Looking back over the four years, it was in those moments that I was out there in the field with you, ruck-marches, field training exercises … it was in those personal moments, standing shoulder to shoulder with you, that brought me the greatest satisfaction,” said Moore. “I’m humbled by the opportunity to say I’m with such amazing patriots. You’ve proved time and time again that you are absolutely unmatched in providing air support with and for our Army brothers.”
After Moore’s speech to his family, friends and soldiers, he relinquished command of his airmen by presenting the unit colors to Col. Thomas Bell, commander, 3rd Air Support Operation Group, who in turn presented them to Jeffers.
Jeffers, comes to Fort Carson from, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., where he served as the director of operations, 1st Air Support Operations Group.
“Ladies and gentlemen, ‘Gun Slingers,’ I could not be more thrilled or honored to be standing in front of you as your commander,” said Jeffers. “When people that I know found out that I was going to be taking command of the 13th ASOS, their first reaction was not to say ‘Colorado Springs is a nice place to live;’ they said, ‘man, that 13th [ASOS] is an awesome unit.”
As the new ASOS commander, Jeffers has high hopes for his airmen, as well as a mission he plans to achieve.
“Our mission is to enhance the joint warfighter team by providing combat mission ready airmen to integrate and control all aspects of Air and Space Power,” said Jeffers.