GUEST EDITORIAL: A heartfelt thank you to Albuquerque and New Mexico

As I conclude my two-year tour as Installation and 377th Air Base Wing Commander at Kirtland Air Force Base, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the people of Albuquerque, our New Mexico civic leaders, elected officials and the entire surrounding community. Serving alongside you has been the greatest honor of my career.

The relationship between Kirtland Air Force Base and our community is truly unique. From day one, my family and I felt welcomed — not only as guests, but as neighbors and friends. That spirit of partnership has defined our time here and has made an immeasurable difference in our mission and our lives.

Together, we have achieved great things. Over the past two years, Kirtland has strengthened its role as a critical hub of national defense, energy innovation and scientific advancement. We’ve expanded our base infrastructure with key investments in security and modernization, and we’ve enhanced mission readiness across our operations, test and evaluation, and installation support roles. These accomplishments were possible not just because of those in uniform or our civil service workforce, but because of the unwavering support from local and state leaders.

We’ve also deepened our community connections. From collaborative emergency response planning to shared workforce development initiatives, we’ve worked hand-in-hand to improve quality of life and strengthen our shared future. I’m proud of our work with the state, city, local schools, universities and veteran organizations, which reflect the mutual respect and shared values between the base and the community.

New Mexico’s people are resilient, generous and patriotic. Albuquerque’s culture, class and unwavering support for service members have left a lasting impression on me and on our entire team. Whether through cheering crowds during our recent Air Fiesta or thoughtful partnerships on community challenges, you have proven time and again that we are stronger together.

As I pass the torch to Col. Justin Secrest, our next base commander, I do so with deep pride in what we’ve built — and great confidence in what lies ahead. Thank you for allowing me to serve this incredible community. It has truly been a privilege.