A New Era begins at 131st Bomb Wing

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Stephanie Schmitt
  • 131 Bomb Wing
Whiteman AFB --  Lt. Col. Mark Beck, former 131st Maintenance Squadron commander, assumed command of the 131st Maintenance Group, 131st Bomb Wing Aug. 8 at Whiteman Air Force Base.

The Assumption of Command ceremony comes as part of the Total Force Integration of the 131st Bomb Wing and the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman.

During the ceremony Colonel Beck asked the members of the 131st Maintenance Group to, "Learn, lead, and educate. Be humble and passionate ... and be the best at what you do."

When reflecting back to the day he was hired as an enlisted member of the 131st Communications Squadron Colonel Beck said, "I never thought that almost 30 years later I would be standing in front of the maintenance group as your commander."

Colonel Beck is very humbled by this position and explained, this job is about the people and the mission.

"The B2 mission is more than just a job. We are a part of something much bigger. You are great people, with a great mission, in a great nation," added Colonel Beck.

Colonel Beck enlisted in the Missouri Air National Guard as an Inertial Navigation Systems Technician working on the F-4C aircraft. Just 7 years later he became a commissioned officer. He has held positions including commander of the 131st Fighter Wing Security Forces Squadron, Aircraft Generation Squadron, and Maintenance Squadron.

In conjunction with this ceremony Assumption of Commands were held for the Maintenance Squadron and Maintenance Operations Flight.