Col. Roger Watkins, the face of Columbus Air Force Base for the past two years, has received new orders.
A change-of-command ceremony will be held July 28 as Watkins turns over control of the 14th Flight Training Wing to Col. Barre R. Seguin, commander of the 8th Operations Group at Kunsan Air Base in Korea. Watkins will move on to Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., where he”ll serve as Commandant of the Squadron Officer College, Air University, the Air Force”s center for company grade officer professional development.
Watkins has had an active presence in Lowndes County during his tenure. Lowndes County Board of Supervisors President Harry Sanders describes Watkins” involvement as “wonderful.”
“As wing commander, he has a position on the board of the (Columbus-Lowndes Development) LINK and he”s been instrumental in those board meetings about giving advice on how certain things effect the base,” said Sanders. “He”s been real engaged in economic development in Lowndes County with the (Global Industrial) Aerospace Park.”
Watkins also oversaw the finalization of a deal which allowed primary school students from CAFB to choose city or county schools, the contracting of Golden Triangle Waste Service to pick up garbage on the base and the privatization of some housing and electrical service to the base; all of which benefits Lowndes County financially.
Other upgrades to the base have taken place under Watkins” watch, including a new support group building, an ongoing renovation to the wing commander”s headquarters, and new entrance gates with augmented security features.
Seguin, a Command Pilot with over 3,000 hours in various aircraft, holds a degree in mathematics and economics from the State University of New York.
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