Aldred takes command of Det. 1 – U.S. Army Fort Leonard Wood

By Stephen Standifird
Public Affairs Office

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (June 21, 2018) — Hundreds of staff, students and instructors representing the Air Force’s 364th Training Squadron, Detachment 1, welcomed their new detachment commander during an assumption of command ceremony held June 15 at Nutter Field House.

Air Force Lt. Col. Josh Aldred accepted the detachment guidon from Air Force Lt. Col. Thomas Wegner, 364th Training Squadron commander, during the ceremony.

Air Force Lt. Col. Josh Aldred, right, accepts the detachment guidon from Air Force Lt. Col. Thomas Wegner, 364th Training Squadron commander, during a ceremony held June 15 in Fort Leonard Wood’s Nutter Field House. Photo by Mike Curtis, Visual Information Center

The passing of the flag is a symbolic gesture of Aldred taking the lead as the detachment commander.

Speaking to the detachment’s students and staff at the detachment, Wegner indicated Aldred is “perfectly suited to take command.”

“He has seen combat; he has worked engineering projects in both Afghanistan and Iraq, he’s written lots of instructions, and has taught at the Air Force Academy,” Wegner said, adding that Aldred is a professional civil engineer who is used to being a student and an instructor.

Upon assuming command, Aldred will be responsible for a training detachment that provides initial skills and advanced-level training to nearly 2,300 Airmen in the areas of pavement management, emergency management, engineering assistance and ground transportation.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be your new commander,” Aldred said while addressing the detachment. “I am most excited to work with a great bunch of people. I know we have a great team and an important mission. I can’t wait to see all of the amazing things you will accomplish in the next few years.”

Aldred joins the Fort Leonard Wood team from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, where he served as deputy director of the Energy Directorate at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center. He has also served as an assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and in various civil engineer positions.

“As your commander, you can expect me to lead from the front, foster a positive and respectful training environment, advocate for resources and award excellence, innovation and teamwork,” he said. “My intent is to lead a professional military organization that increases Air Force lethality and readiness by providing world-class, relevant, innovative leadership training. As leaders in a profession of arms, we must focus on readiness and building more leaders who are ready for the battles of today and tomorrow.”