Milwaukee, WI -- Lieutenant Col. Jeannie Jeanetta took command of the 128th Communications Flight during a change of command ceremony October 6, 2019, at the 128th Air Refueling Wing, Wisc.
A change of command ceremony is a tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility from the outgoing commander to the incoming commander.
The 128th Communications Flight welcomed their incoming commander, and thanked Lieutenant Col. Thomas Mielcarek, the Communications Flight outgoing commander, for his hard work and dedication.
Mielcarek thanked the members of the 128th Communications Flight during the ceremony saying, “together we achieved cyber dominance through innovation.”
After 12 years of serving as the 128th Communications Flight commander, Mielcarek will transition to the Joint Staff at Joint Forces Headquarters to serve as the Defensive Cyber Operations Element Chief.
“Thank you for your leadership,” Lt. Col. Jeanetta said of Lieutenant Col. Mielcarek. “I feel privileged to command a great unit here.”
Going forward the 128th Communications Flight airmen will be primarily supporting air communications and contracting out standard base communications support. This is one example of the collaboration of government and private industry contributing to National Security.
Master Sergeant Brandon Zahn, Information Security Manager with the 128th Communication Flight, said, “Our primary mission is supporting the communications requirements for our flying missions.”
“The cyber threat is one of the most dangerous threats we face as a military and society today,” Zahn said. “Knowledge and information are our competitive advantage against every other air force on this planet. Our fight isn’t always in the air.”
October also happens to be National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The transition that the Communications Flight is going through is just one example of the way organizations are ensuring cybersecurity priorities are met.
NCSAM is a collaboration between government organizations and private industries to spotlight the role cyber security plays in everyone’s lives. The 128th Communications Flight, led by Lt. Col. Jeannetta is exemplary of the dedication the Air Force has to cybersecurity.