U.S. Marine Lt. Col. James K. Everett, the outgoing commanding officer of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and Lt. Col. Earl A. Sweigart Jr, the incoming commanding officer of H&HS, MCAS Miramar, conduct their change of command ceremony at MCAS Miramar, California, Sep. 21, 2026. The change of command ceremony signifies transition of new leadership that will prepare the Marine Corps for the next generation of innovation, technology, and advancements to the force. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Alexander Vaughn)
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Lieutenant Colonel Wilbur S. Oles IV concluded 22 years of honorable service in the Marine Corps during his retirement ceremony on the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar flightline on May 8, 2026. The crowd of Marines who gathered to bid farewell and congratulate him was a testament not just to his decorated career, but to the personal impact he had on each of them. While a decorated aviator, it was his leadership, rooted in his philosophy of "leading with love," that left an indelible mark on the Marine Corps.
Preceded by generations of service members, it was no surprise that Lt. Col. Oles was drawn to swear the oath and don the nation’s cloth. Through his great-grandfather’s service as an...
