133rd Change of Command

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kayla McWalter
  • 157th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
PEASE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.H. --  Lt. Col. Darik Day took command of  the 133rd Air Refueling Squadron from  Lt. Col. James Ryan during a change of command ceremony in the 157th Operations Group building, Oct. 3, 2014.

During his remarks, the outgoing commander said to his Airmen, "You, the 133rd ARS are simply the best, I am truly grateful for the support you have offered me the past few years, your passion and your patriotism has truly been a privilege and an honor. Thank you."

Ryan, along with Col. Shawn Burrus, 157 OPS commander, welcomed the incoming squadron commander.

"Live your life and be the best commander you for your Airmen and at home with your family," said Ryan, "Love what you do and why you do it and remember to laugh often."

Burrus, who departs his position as the operations group commander Oct. 5 to become the wing commander, welcomed the new commander with this message.

"It is an extreme honor as one of the last things that I do as the ops group commander is to welcome another squadron commander," said Burrus. "Squadron commanders mean a lot to me, you're my trusted advisors, you're the people I confide in and the people I solve problems with and you are the perfect person to go to the next level."

 Day took command with an already obtained knowledge of the 133 ARS having been the squadrons director of operations. 

In his welcoming remarks to the squadron, the new commander had this to say.

"What an honor and a privilege it is to stand before you and have you trust me with command," Day said. "You are one of the finest organizations bar none, you exude professionalism and excellence."

He added that he is going to honor the position and those who held it before me.

He also expressed his immense gratitude to his predecessor, Ryan, his Airmen of the 133rd and his family and close friends, for all of their support and dedication.

Day concluded the ceremony with thoughts of the future.

"With the new KC-46 mission on the horizon, our business is going to change, change is hard, we have our work cut out for us and I look forward to sharing that challenge with the very people in this room," he said.