43rd Airlift Group welcomes new commander

by Marvin Krause
43rd Airlift Group Public Affairs

8/6/2014 - POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- Col. Kenneth E. Moss formally assumed command of the 43rd Airlift Group from Col. Daniel H. Tulley in a change of command ceremony today on Fort Bragg's Pope Army Airfield.

"There is no place in the world where the Army and the Air Force work more closely, more often, and gain more synergy than here," said Moss. "To be a part of a Total Force team which can add to this history and strengthen the relationship is both humbling and inspiring. It will be a privilege to continue the work strengthening the ties which make Fort Bragg great. To the women and men of the 43rd Airlift Group, we have an exciting future ahead of us. Together, we will continue to provide world-class support service to our partners."

Prior to this assignment, Moss was a fellow at the U.S. Navy Strategic Studies Group, in Newport, R.I., from July 2013. Moss is a 1992 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and has served in a variety of positions in Air Mobility Command and combatant command. In 2005, Moss was selected as one of 16 students to attend the Advanced Studies of Air Mobility course at the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Following graduation from Intermediate Developmental Education, he then served as a staff officer at U.S. Central Command, working on the Africa Command's transition team and as the Iraq Strategy, Plans and Policy division chief.

Moss is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours in the KC-10 Extender, C-130 Hercules, C-21, T-38 Talon and the T-37 Cessna aircraft.

The 43rd Airlift Group's 1,200 active-duty Airmen and civilians provide contingency outload, en route support and mobility operations for Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg's XVIII Airborne Corps and the 82nd Airborne Division. This partnership with the Army provides the nation a unique Joint forcible entry capability through rapid global airborne and air assault operations within hours of notification. Missions can range from humanitarian assistance to providing combat capability to the combatant commanders.

"When we talk about the Global Response Force, special operations and task force mission, and that includes Joint forcible entry airborne operations, we talk about it as a 'no fail' mission," said Maj. Gen. Frederick H. Martin, commander of the USAF EC, as he addressed mission partners, community members and the group's Airmen attending the ceremony. "We can't talk about this no-fail mission without the partnership of the mighty 440th Airlift Wing and the three other Air Force major commands here at Pope. To the Airmen, 'Gryphons' of the 43rd Airlift Group, thank you for your tireless support of the GRF and the Joint training mission."

During Tulley's command, the 43rd AG's "Gryphons" executed over 4,000 Joint Special Operations Command, Army and Air Force contingency missions with a 99 percent departure reliability rate. He artfully leveraged the new Air Force Inspection System and continuous process improvement to improve the Air Force's "no-fail" missions on Fort Bragg. His visionary strategy and tenacious advocacy rallied key stakeholders, informing decisions made by the Commander, Air Mobility Command and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

"To our partners in the world's greatest Army--thank you. Thank you for your gracious hospitality and for including us in all that you do here on Fort Bragg," said Tulley. "We have really moved the ball down the field with regard to Joint forcible entry and airborne operations. To the men and women of the 43rd Airlift Group, thank you to each and every one of you and your families for what you do every day. Your service and sacrifice at home and deployed has been humbling to witness. Putting the 'air' in 'airborne' can't happen without one key ingredient and that is what we Airmen bring to the fight--airpower!"

The men and women of the 43rd AG carried out their critical mission to, "Put the Air in Airborne," by supporting over 1,000 Joint training missions annually, ensuring Air Mobility Command and reserve component partners fulfilled 100 percent of the Joint training requirements on Fort Bragg while improving strategic continuity for Joint Operational Access Exercises.

Thanks to Tulley's ceaseless efforts, AMC is in the final approval stages to create the future 43d Air Mobility Operations Group. This new construct will provide unity of command and effort for the group's diverse operations and support functions, increasing efficiencies despite a 27 percent reduction in personnel. His strategic vision and execution made Fort Bragg-Pope Army Airfield better for over 3,000 Airmen and their families while posturing the Air Force missions on Fort Bragg for future success.

Tulley has commanded the 43rd Airlift Group since July 2012 and moves on to his next assignment as the commander of the 6th Air Mobility Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.