CHERRY POINT, N.C. - The Marine Corps’ East Coast aviation element underwent a change in leadership today when Maj. Gen. Jon M. Davis handed over command to Maj. Gen. Glenn M. Walters during a 9 a.m. ceremony at the flight line here.
“I think the wing is only going to do better under his leadership,” Davis said. “I’m very, very pleased handing off to Gen. Walters.”
Davis is selected for promotion to lieutenant general and slated to transfer to U.S. Cyber Command at Fort Meade, Md., as deputy director, pending Senate confirmation.
Davis took command of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in July 2010, declaring his commitments in certain terms – win the fight in Afghanistan, expand worldwide support, prepare for the unknown, and train the next generation of aviators and maintainers.
In February 2011, components from 2nd MAW deployed forward to serve a year-long tour as the aviation combat element in southwestern Afghanistan. Wing Marines played a defining role in NATO operations in Libya through the spring and summer of 2011, and participated in humanitarian missions around the world, including providing flood relief in Pakistan in September 2011.
The forward command served as an aviation combat element for NATO’s International Security Assistance Force from March 2011 through March 2012, operating in southwestern Afghanistan.
In February 2011, Walters, the man who took Davis’ place today, left for Afghanistan in command of that forward component.
Walters led the ACE as it provided precise close-air support to bolster coalition and Afghan forces conducting counterinsurgency operations in Helmand province.
Near the end of his tour there, Walters said that there was tremendous progress in Helmand province. He said he expected to see a shift from counterinsurgency operations to security force assistance as Afghan forces grew more capable of managing their own security.
He said as he looks to his newest challenge – commanding general of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing – he has a lot of back up.
“What I have to back me is the mentorship and leadership that I’ve experienced throughout my years, some of whom will be in attendance at the change of command, that’s what I have to back me up – that and a great wife,” Walters said. “But what backs me up every day is great Marines working in the wing. With that, it’ll be a great tour.”
While Walters led wing Marines in Afghanistan, elements from 2nd MAW demonstrated the full capabilities of Marine aviation in Libya.
2nd MAW aircraft conducted attack operations, employed electronic warfare, and even demonstrated the expeditionary capabilities of the MV-22B Osprey, as the first NATO forces on scene to enforcing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973, preventing the killing of innocent civilians by Col. Moammar Gadhafi's regime.
“I think the history books will tell how we really did,” said Davis. “All the things I’ve asked the wing to do they’ve done and done exceptionally well.”
“I’ll be thinking about the history that 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing has written in the last 22 months,” Davis said, “that I was lucky enough to be a part of this organization for a short amount of time, be a steward, and hand it off to another great commander.”