Nellis welcomes new Warfare Center boss

Jace Radke

Wednesday, June 26, 2002 | 8:58 a.m.

While spending the last six months directing air missions for Operation Enduring Freedom in southwest Asia, Brig. Gen. Stephen Wood got to see Air Force personnel put their training to the ultimate test.

Now, Wood finds himself in charge of the very training that he saw in action, as the new commander of the Air Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base.

"I saw professional airmen wearing their air warfare patches with pride," Wood said at Tuesday's change-of-command ceremony in the Thunderbird hangar at Nellis. "I saw an F-15 Strike Eagle crew run a 15-hour combat mission, and B-52s providing deadly air support.

"All those air crews and weapons were trained and tested at Nellis."

Wood brings 28 years of Air Force experience to Nellis and replaces retiring Maj. Gen. L.D. Johnston. During Tuesday's ceremony Johnston passed the Air Warfare Center flag to Wood to signify the change of command.

"Just getting the chance at a command is any officer's dream, and it's an honor to serve at Nellis," Wood said. "Nellis is the heart of the Air Force when it comes to tactics and training, and that's a dream assignment for a pilot."

Wood, 50, has logged more than 3,300 flying hours in the F-4, T-33, AT-38 and F-16, and flew 49 combat missions during Operation Desert Storm.

As a commander Wood may not have as much time to fly as he would like, but he will take over use of an F-16 that was assigned to Johnston.

In 1984 Wood attended the Weapons School at Nellis that he now commands.

"Things have changed a lot in Las Vegas since then, but it still feels like I'm coming back home," Wood said. "I'd go anywhere to run the Air Warfare Center, but as luck would have it, I get to do it in the great city of Las Vegas."

The Air Warfare Center provides the highest level of training for Air Force personnel in the use of aircraft and combat tactics. The center uses the Nevada Test and Training Range Complex -- a 3 million-acre area northwest of Las Vegas that is the biggest range in the country -- for training missions.

Johnston had served as Air Warfare Center commander since January 2000 when he took over for Maj. Gen. Glen W. Moorhead III. Johnston plans to take a position with the Defense Department.

"My job is to continue to build on all the successes at Nellis and to work relentlessly to improve our combat capabilities," Wood said. "Our mission at the Air Warfare Center is vital to our country's war effort."