Col. Christopher Craige, 39th Air Base Wing commander, receives the guidon from Maj. Gen. Mark Zamzow, 3rd Air Force vice commander, during the 39th ABW assumption-of-command ceremony Aug. 25, 2011, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. Prior to coming to Incirlik, Craige was deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, where he served as the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander.(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Clayton Lenhardt/Released)
Col. Christopher Craige returns his first salute as the 39th Air Base Wing commander during the assumption-of-command ceremony Aug. 25, 2011, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. Prior to coming to Incirlik, Craige was deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, where he served as the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander.(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Clayton Lenhardt/Released)
by Senior Airman William A. O'Brien
39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
8/25/2011 - INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- The 39th Air Base Wing welcomed its new commander, Col Christopher Craige, Aug. 25 during an assumption-of-command ceremony at Hangar 4 here.
"I look forward to working with our group commanders, squadron commanders, chiefs, senior NCOs and the entire enlisted team here at Incirlik to continue to set the highest standards throughout this base and throughout Turkey," said Craige.
"For all the men and women of the 39th Air Base Wing, your reputation as a premiere forward-operating base is well-known, both in (U.S. Air Forces in Europe) and across the Air Force," he said. "I can promise you upfront that my family and I are fully committed to the mission and to your well-being. I look forward to getting out and meeting all of you in the coming days and months, but I want to let you know that I'm truly looking forward to working both with you and for you as your leader."
As the wing commander, Craige is responsible for approximately 5,000 U.S. service members, civilians and contractors. He is also responsible for the combat readiness of U.S. Air Force units at Incirlik and supports two geographically-separated units in Turkey.
Craige was deployed here in support of Operation Northern Watch in the 1990s for a few months and has also transited through Incirlik on his way to other assignments.
"To our Turkish partners, I'm truly excited to be here with you today," said the new wing commander. "My past trips to Turkey have left me with a deep appreciation for your country's rich heritage, as well as appreciation for your warm hospitality."
Prior to coming to Incirlik, Craige was deployed to Joint Base Balad, Iraq, where he served as the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing vice commander. As the vice commander there, he assisted the commander in leading more than 8,000 service members at JBB, the geographically-separated air expeditionary group located in Kirkuk Regional Air Base and more than 60 forward-operating bases throughout Iraq.
"Thank you all. It is truly a pleasure to be here today with my family. Penny, Evan, Isabelle, I know you're just as excited as I am to be here," said Craige. "It will be a great adventure for us all. Thank you for all the years of support. I truly appreciate it and want to make sure everyone knows that."
Craige commissioned in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a command pilot with more than 3,800 hours in a variety of aircraft and operations. His non-flying experience includes service at the White House as a military aide and staff experience at U.S. Joint Forces Command.
