Home > News > Article Display

Alaskan Command welcomes new commander

By Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Public Affairs, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Public Affairs / Published August 18, 2016

U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori Robinson, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command commander gives command of Alaskan NORAD Region and Alaskan Command to U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach during a change of command ceremony Aug. 16 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Wilsbach also assumed command of 11th Air Force from Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Forces commander. Outgoing commander Lt. Gen. Russell Handy retired after more than 30 years of service and relinquished command to Wilsbach.
PHOTO DETAILS  /   DOWNLOAD HI-RES 1 of 1

U.S. Air Force Gen. Lori Robinson, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command commander gives command of Alaskan NORAD Region and Alaskan Command to U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach during a change of command ceremony Aug. 16 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Wilsbach also assumed command of 11th Air Force from Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy, Pacific Air Forces commander. Outgoing commander Lt. Gen. Russell Handy retired after more than 30 years of service and relinquished command to Wilsbach.

PRINT | E-MAIL
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- Lt. Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach became commander of Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region, Alaskan Command and Eleventh Air Force during a change of command ceremony at JBER today.

The ceremony was officiated by General Lori J. Robinson, Commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command, headquartered at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, and General Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, Commander of Pacific Air Forces, headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

General Wilsbach’s previous assignment was as Director of Operations, U.S. Central Command, at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. He replaces Lt. Gen. Russell J. Handy, who is retiring after 34 years of service to the U.S. Air Force.

Alaskan Command integrates activities of more than 22,000 military members from all services in Alaska as a sub-unified command of U.S. Northern Command. Eleventh Air Force oversees the training and readiness of five Air Force wings and Air Force installations located in Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam. The Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region directs bilateral air operations with Canada within Alaska to ensure defense against all hostile airborne threats.