DANNELLY FIELD, Ala. -- A new commander took charge of the 100th Fighter Squadron “Red Tails” during the squadron’s change of command ceremony here August 3, 2018.
Maj. Robert Stimpson accepted responsibility of the squadron in front of Airmen, local leaders and family.
Col. William Sparrow, 187th Fighter Wing commander, presided over the ceremony in which Stimpson, formerly the squadron’s director of operations, assumed command from Col. Thomas Isenberg.
“You are an outstanding leader and an incredibly talented fighter pilot,” Sparrow told Stimpson during the ceremony. “Your perspective on the Tuskegee legacy, our current position in the force, and what lies ahead for the 100th is mature and well thought out. I know you will be an amazing commander.”
Stimpson inherits the Red Tails at a key moment in their history. The squadron recently returned from a 3-month deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, and is one of two Air National Guard fighter squadrons scheduled to receive the Air Force’s newest fighter jet, the F-35A, in the coming years.
The 100th Fighter Squadron traces its roots to the famed Tuskegee Airmen of World War II, and was reactivated as part of the Alabama Air National Guard’s 187th Fighter Wing in 2007.