NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. – The 57th Wing bid farewell to Brig. Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy as he relinquished command to Brig. Gen. Charles L. Moore Jr. at a change of command ceremony March 26, 2012.
“Everything I hold dear about our Air Force is represented here within the 57th Wing,” O’Shaughnessy said.
It was O’Shaughnessy’s fourth assignment to the 57th Wing.
“We are changing the way our Air Force is training and we are preparing our Air Force for tomorrow’s victories,” he said. “Every one of our Airmen has contributed to that.”
Moore comes to the 57th Wing from his command of the 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., where he was responsible for organizing, training and equipping a 19-squadron wing with three F-16CJ squadrons.
“He comes with a breadth of experience that will be extremely helpful,” O’Shaughnessy said. “I know that he will continue the legacy of the wing and only make it better.”
After the mission of the 57th Wing, Moore said his primary focus will be on Airmen.
“If your family is not taken care of “†either in the short term or the long term “†it will impact the mission,” Moore said.
The general was commissioned in 1989 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy. He has served as an F-16 fighter pilot, instructor pilot, weapons officer and forward air controller. He also served as the program element manager and chief of requirements for the Joint Strike Fighter F-35 Program.
“To come here and work with these folks is a great honor and privilege,” Moore said.
This is Moore’s second assignment to the 57th Wing. He was assigned in 1998-2001 as an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School.
The general hopes to make “an incredible wing” even better.
“You have to look for ways to improve,” he said. “If Airmen have good ideas, I’m open to their suggestions.”
The commander of the 57th Wing is responsible for 39 squadrons at 12 installations comprising the Air Force’s most diverse flying wing. The wing flies and maintains more than 130 aircraft of the following types: A-10, F-15C/D, F-15E, F-16C/CG/CJ, F-22A and HH-60G. The wing also utilizes E-3, RC-135, E-8, B-1, B-2, B-52, C-130, KC-135, C-17, AC-130U and MC-130P aircraft and MQ-1/9 remotely piloted aircraft at 12 stateside bases to support the USAF Weapons School syllabus. The commander also leads four groups: the 57th Adversary Tactics Group, 57th Operations Group, 57th Maintenance Group and U.S. Air Force Weapons School. In addition, he oversees the 561st Joint Tactics Squadron, U.S. Air Force Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer School, U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron (Thunderbirds), and the Red Flag and Green Flag exercises.
