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Rock gets NORAD post, Browne to lead the 366th
Gunfighters will soon bid farewell to the 366th Fighter Wing's commander after the Air Force selected him for a new assignment in Colorado Springs, Colo.
In an announcement Aug. 2, Col. Anthony Rock will soon leave to serve as the deputy director for plans, policy and strategy for North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
Col. James S. Browne, executive officer to the Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force chief of staff, was selected this month to assume the reins of the 366th FW. An early September change of command is in the works.
Col. Rock, who was recently selected for promotion to brigadier general, served as "Gunfighter 1" since May 2006 and guided the wing through numerous significant changes and accomplishments.
Under his command, the wing shed its F-16 mission and transitioned to a single airframe -- the F-15 C/D Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle. Colonel Rock led the wing to earn the distinction as the Air Force's best wing by winning the 2007 Air Force Installation Excellence Award. The colonel was also credited for laying the groundwork to welcome in an F-15SJ training squadron from the Republic of Singapore Air Force.
Col. Rock's new position is a dual-hatted role to formulate, develop and implement plans, policy and strategy for both NORAD and USNORTHCOM missions.
NORAD is a US and Canadian bi-national organization responsible for aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America, including monitoring man-made objects in space and detecting, validating, and warning against air or space attacks against North America. USNORTHCOM provides command and control of Department of Defense homeland defense efforts and coordinates defense support to civil authorities.
"Colonel Rock will certainly be missed by the community," said Alain Isaac, Mountain Home Military Affairs Committee president. "He has increased relations between the town and wing tremendously with his honorary commander and Gunfighter programs, and he has been a wonderful friend to our community. It pains us all to see him go."
Prior to his assignment as Gen. Moseley's exec, Col. Browne was the Vice Commander of the 1st Fighter Wing, Langley Air Force Base, Va., which is composed of four groups and 20 squadrons, including two F-22A Raptor squadrons one F-15C Eagle squadron.
Previously, Col. Browne hadserved as an F-15 weapons officer and in flight, squadron and group command positions. His flying and staff assignments span Alaska, Europe, the Pacific, Southwest Asia, and the US.
He is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours in the F-15A/B/C/D/E, including more than 700 combat hours. He has led combat missions over Iraq in support of Operation PROVIDE COMFORT, NORTHERN WATCH, and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM as well as Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Mechanics from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a Master of Science degree in Flight Structural Engineering from Columbia University, and a Master of Military Arts and Science degree from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., among other educational accomplishments.
He concluded his undergraduate pilot training at Williams AFB, Ariz.; was a student pilot in the F-15C at Tyndall AFB, Fla.; an F-15 Instructor Pilot and SEFE for the 43rd Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska; has attended the USAF Weapons School Student at Nellis AFB, Nev.; was Chief of Weapons and Tactics for the 53rd Fighter Squadron; was a USAF Weapons School Instructor, Flight Commander, and Assistant Operations Officer, at Nellis AFB;, the Air-to-Air Missile Program Manager and Directorate of Operational Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force; Chief of Fighter Programs, Executive Officer, Directorate of Legislative Liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.; Operations Officer for the 44th Fighter Squadron, 18th Wing, Kadena AB, Japan; Commander of the 67th Fighter Squadron in Kadena AB; Commander of the 379th Expeditionary Operations Group, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar; Deputy Chief, Joint Capabilities Division, J-8, Joint Staff, and Chief of the Joint Staff Quadrennial Defense Review Coordination Office.
He has been awarded the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Aerial Achievement Medal,Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Air Force Achievement Medal.