Maj. Gen. Vander Hamm takes helm of 8th AF

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Benjamin Raughton
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Maj. Gen. Scott Vander Hamm took command of Eighth Air Force Oct. 23 in a ceremony here presided over by U.S. Strategic Command commander Gen. C. Robert Kehler.

Vander Hamm, who was also promoted to the rank of major general during the ceremony, replaces Maj. Gen. Stephen Wilson.

"I want you to know what a privilege it is to serve as your commander," Vander Hamm said. "I pledge my allegiance to you, the men and women serving to create an environment where you can train and fight, and provide you with the resources to accomplish your mission. It's onward and upward for the Eighth Air Force."

Kehler expressed confidence in Vander Hamm's and 8 AF's abilities to deter adversaries and assure allies.

"There is no other air force on the face of the planet that can do the kinds of operations that are routinely performed by the Mighty Eighth," Kehler said. "This is no longer 'one size fits all' deterrence and assurance. This is tailored deterrence that is shaped specifically for an adversary; that is shaped specifically for a target audience and done with tools that include our long-range strike capabilities and those capabilities that we have come to rely on for all these years."

Eighth Air Force has a storied past as being the greatest air armada in American history. At one point, the command was able to dispatch more than 2,000 bombers and 1,000 fighters and had an end-strength of more than 200,000 Airmen, earning it the nickname, "Mighty Eighth."

Vander Hamm has picked up a legacy built by Generals Ira Eaker and Jimmy Doolittle, who also commanded the numbered Air Force, to safeguard America's interests though deterrence and global combat power.

Today, 8AF accomplishes this with the B-52 Stratofortress fleet based at the 2nd Bomb Wing here and the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, N. D., and the B-2 Spirit of the 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.

8th Air Force total force assets also include the 307th and 131st Bomb Wings.

In addition to the 8AF, Vander Hamm will also command Task Force 204, which presents worldwide strategic bomber and reconnaissance capabilities to USSTRATCOM and actively monitors force generation for bomber and reconnaissance assets, weapons stockpiles and nuclear force training. Other partner units include the 102nd Air Operations Group and 102nd Air Intelligence Wing at Otis Air National Guard Base, Mass.

Vander Hamm previously served as the director of plans, programs, requirements and assessments at Headquarters Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.

Vander Hamm was commissioned in 1986 and is a command pilot with more than 4,500 flight hours spanning four aircraft, including the B-52.