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General Flowers takes command of 2nd Air Force

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Carlos Rodriguez
  • Keesler Public Affairs
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MISS. --  Maj. Gen. Alfred Flowers accepted the 2nd Air Force flag from presiding officer Maj. Gen. Mark Welsh, Air Education and Training Command vice commander, May 23  to become the newest commander of the 2nd Air Force.

In a change-of-command ceremony marked by a parade, flag presentations and military music provided by the technical training students of the 81st Training Group, Maj. Gen. Mike Gould said goodbye to Keesler while General Flowers laid out plans for his tenure.

"My Number one goal is to take care of the men and women of our Air Force," said General Flowers. "We want to make sure their quality of life is taken care of and we want to take care of their families."

"(Our mission) is to recruit and train the Airmen, making sure they're ready to tackle and enter the Air Force," the former Officer Training School commander added. "I'm excited any time I can train our new Airmen."

In a career that has sent him from the West Coast to the East Coast and points in between, General Flowers is looking forward to his new assignment in Mississippi. 

"General Flowers had visited the Mississippi Gulf Coast twice since its devastation by Hurricane Katrina nearly three years ago, and said he's been impressed with what he's seen so far.

"It is amazing the work that has been done here," said General Flowers. "I'm looking forward to helping to make the base better than it was."

General Flowers' first order of business after the change of command was to meet and greet Airmen from across Keesler's wide spectrum of personnel as well as dignitaries from the surrounding community who were invited to the event. 

The 2nd Air Force is comprised of more than 225,000 Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and foreign students training in more than 250 specialties through 2,500 courses both in the continental U.S. and around the world.