A photo of Lt. Col. Richard Frattarelli, incoming commander of the 201st RED HORSE Squadron, Detachment 1, during a change of command ceremony held here Dec. 10, 2011.
by Master Sgt. Christopher Botzum
111th FW Public Affairs
2/9/2012 - 12/10/2011 - WILLOW GROVE AIR RESERVE STATION, PA -- The Security Forces Squadron and the 201st RED HORSE Squadron, Det. 1 on Dec. 10, formalized new leadership during a long held tradition of a Change of Command ceremony held in the auditorium.
The Security Forces Squadron will now be led by Maj. Christine Munch, former 111th FW Director of Personnel. Munch accepted command from retiring Commander, Lt. Col. Donald Landis.
Landis, a 41 year veteran of military service and 18 year commander of the Security Forces Squadron has served his country in several capacities of his career. Entering the U.S. Air Force in 1971, he was an Aircraft Munitions Specialist. He was deployed initially to South East Asia during the Vietnam War working on F-4s and F-100s. Some of his previous duty stations included: Da Nang Air Base (AB), Ubon AB in Thailand, Clark AFB in the Philippines and Luke AFB, Ariz. In 1975, he joined the Pa. Air National Guard at Willow Grove, where he continued as a Weapons Specialist working on O-2s, A-37s and A-10. Landis subsequently became the Munitions Branch Chief. In 1986, Landis transferred to the U.S. Navy Reserve and received his commission and served as a logistics officer. Returning to the 111th in 1988, initially as the unit's Missile Safety Officer, he took command of the Security Forces Squadron in 1994.
Munch, during the ceremony, enthusiastically accepted command from Landis looking forward to the new challenges and returning to her military roots. Upon Munch's initial military service starting in 1985, she was an enlisted Security Specialist member working Law Enforcement while stationed at Langley AFB, Va. While still stationed at Langley, she cross-trained into the Personnel field. In 1993, she joined the Air National Guard first in Alaska. Later, she would transfer to California, then onto South Carolina where she earned her commission. Finally, she transferred to the 111th in 2002 and became the Wing Executive Officer. Additionally, Munch has served with the unit as the Force Support Officer and Director of Personnel during very testing times of unit remolding.
Lt. Col. Richard Frattarelli ascended to command of the 201st RED HORSE Squadron, Det. 1 from the acting Commander, Lt. Col. Geno Rapone. Frattarelli started his military career in 1990, serving four years in the Navy as a Construction Manager. In 1994, he joined the 111th Fighter Wing initially as the Environmental Manager then later elevated to Deputy of Civil Engineering. In 2003, he took command of the Civil Engineering Squadron.
Rapone, current commander of the 270th EIS, retained command duties of the RED HORSE Squadron to see the unit through its Operational Readiness Inspection completed last month.
