Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Joshua Lucero: Staff photo From left, Air Force Special Operations commander Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, outgoing 27th SOW commander Col. Tony Bauernfeind, and 27th SOW commander Col. Benjamin Maitre bow their heads in prayer as the change of command ceremony begins Tuesday afternoon at CAFB. Before assuming command at CAFB, Maitre served as commander of the 353 Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base in Japan.
It was a star-spangled event at Cannon Air Force Base Tuesday afternoon as Col. Tony Bauernfeind handed over command of the 27th Special Operations Wing to Col. Benjamin Maitre.
The 27th SOW performed the change of command ceremony in a Cannon hangar Tuesday in front of an audience comprised of U.S. Air Force personnel and local city and county officials.
Bauernfeind took over command of the 27th SOW in July 2013 and oversaw more than $1.3 billion of military construction at the base, with work including new squadron facilities, a medical and dental clinic and renovations to the Club and Community Center.
link Joshua Lucero: Staff photo
From left, Air Force Special Operations commander Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, outgoing 27th SOW commander Col. Tony Bauernfeind, and 27th SOW commander Col. Benjamin Maitre bow their heads in prayer as the change of command ceremony begins Tuesday afternoon at CAFB. Before assuming command at CAFB, Maitre served as commander of the 353 Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base in Japan.
Bauernfeind is also responsible for improving quality of life for the Cannon community, including the addition of a Domino’s and a Starbucks on base, as well as the reopening of the base theater.
The base flew 22,000 worldwide combat missions under Bauernfeind’s command, according to Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command.
According to Capt. Neil Samson of the 27th SOW’s public affairs office, Bauernfeind will be promoted to brigadier general before being deployed to an undisclosed location.
Maitre has logged 4,700 hours of flight time and served as commander of the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base in Japan.
Maitre has commanded more than 800 joint special operations personnel across five squadrons supporting special operations forces throughout the
U.S. Pacific Commands area of responsibility, according to a biography provided by Cannon.
Maitre has been awarded several medals including a Silver Star and a Bronze Star.
