The sound of T-6 Texan II and T-38C Talon aircraft roared through the Columbus sky Wednesday behind a hangar on Columbus Air Force Base.
Col. James “Flash” Blech, the outgoing commander for the 14th Flying Training Wing, said he could not imagine a better backdrop for a change of command ceremony to showcase that CAFB and its mission are too important to stop for anyone, even the commander.
“The mission didn’t pause for the (change of command) ceremony, though, and that’s the point,” Blech said during the event. “My mother taught me that loving your country means participating in its future. Looking across Team Blaze and our families in this community, I can think of no better example of that idea. Thank you for allowing (my family) and I to participate with you and alongside you. It truly has been the honor of my life.”
Col. Joshua “JJ” Jensen took the reins of the 14th Flying Training Wing from Blech during a change of command ceremony Wednesday at CAFB. The base, as part of Air Force procedure, changes commanders every two years.
Jensen admitted during the ceremony he knows that he has large shoes to fill, but said he feels prepared for the challenge.
“Thank you (Blech) for everything you’ve done during your time here with the 14th Flying Training Wing,” Jensen said. “You led the wing through an incredible … past two years. Your leadership (and) your organization (left the base) stronger, more ready and well-positioned. … (And) our mission remains clear: produce the world’s most skilled, disciplined and lethal combat aviators.”
Jensen comes to Columbus from Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, where he served for the last year as the deputy commander for the 58th Special Operations Wing.
While part of the Air Force’s pilot training pipeline, Kirtland base differs from CAFB in that it focuses primarily on training airmen for more advanced and specialized aircraft rather than initial pilot training.
Brig. Gen. Travolis Simmons, 19th Air Force Commander, who presided over the ceremony, said he believes that experience will help as CAFB welcomes in the T-7 Red Hawks starting in August 2027.
The aircraft, which are replacing the recently retired T-1 Jayhawks, will help pilots receive more modern and effective combat training at the base.
Simmons said Blech – who served as commander from June 2024 to Wednesday – did a great job not only in phasing out the T-1 Jayhawks but also in proactively developing several training initiatives to better prepare pilots on base.
“(Blech oversaw) a $2.3 million fleet and (produced) over 730 new pilots,” Simmons said. “He addressed a systemic maintenance challenge that sparked a 375% readiness surge, mitigating a critical pilot shortage by boosting graduates. Flash, your tenure here has been marked by veterinary leadership, unwavering dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence. Thank you for being the right leader at the right time.”
During Blech’s tenure, the base developed a new training regimen for pilots called the Tactical Athlete Program as part of the Air Force’s Comprehensive Readiness for Aircrew Flying Training Initiative. Through the program, personal trainers work with students to give them a nutrition and physical plan to better prepare their bodies for the demands of various flights.
Blech also oversaw the construction of the MindGym, a cube that uses mirrors and technology to track performance and stress levels to aid pilots in stress management during a flight.
For his efforts, Simmons presented Blech with the Legion of Merit award during the ceremony, a military decoration awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces to recognize outstanding service, loyalty and fidelity in both combat and non-combat services.
Col. Jesper Stubbendorff, deputy commander of the 14th Flying Training Wing, told The Dispatch that Blech was a “great leader” for the wing through all the changes and challenges that occurred during his two years at the base.
Stubbendorff said Blech will be missed as he heads to his next assignment as an executive officer at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.
“(He provided) the decisive leadership to continue the mission,” Stubbendorff said. “And then caring for every individual airman that was on this base, he did a great job with that. Every airman knows who he is; they cared for him, and they felt that service coming back to them. And when you have a leader that cares for you like that, it makes the mission that much easier to go and execute.”
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