OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --
The 557th Weather Wing held a change of command ceremony July 2, 2024, at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.
Col. Joseph D. Coughlin assumed command and Col. Bradley J. Stebbins relinquished command in a ceremony officiated by Lt. Gen. Kevin Kennedy, Sixteenth Air Force, Air Forces Cyber commander.
“When selecting a wing commander, I look for leaders who build teams, communicate their visions and are continuingly seeking connections, connections with their airmen, who are entrusted to their command, while also seeking a deeper understanding and insight into the mission, they are charged to lead,” said Lt. Gen. Kevin Kennedy, Sixteenth Air Force, Air Forces Cyber commander. “Col. Coughlin is that Airman.”
Coughlin comes to Offutt after serving as deputy dean of admissions and business operations at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu, Hawaii.
He led all business and support operations with a team of seventy intra-service personnel providing finance, information technology, security, protocol, supply, and infrastructure needs in executing security outreach courses for military and civilian students from around the globe.
“Thank you to the men and women of the America’s weather wing,” said Col. Coughlin. “It truly is an honor to be a part of this great team and I look forward to building on the success that you have all accomplished in your time here.”
Col. Stebbins has commanded the 557th weather wing since May of 2022. He will transition into the position of Associate Dean of International and Security Studies (CISS), at the Marshall Center in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.
“Chief Andrew Small and I are grateful to have had this incredible opportunity to lead America’s Weather Wing as our Airmen created Warfighter advantage across the globe,” said Stebbins. “I am personally thankful to share this ceremony with my steadfast wingman as he passes the command chief baton on. It is most fitting that we head off the stage together.”
Immediately following the change of command ceremony, Command Chief Small participated in a change of responsibility ceremony. He handed over his responsibilities to the new command chief, Chief Master Seargeant Dan Perry.
The 557th WW provides around-the-clock authoritative terrestrial and space-environmental data, analyses, forecasts, threat-warning and threat-mitigation products and services for the Department of Defense, the National Intelligence Community, allied and coalition partners around the world and across multiple security enclaves.