JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- Col. Rockie K Wilson, assumed command of the 37th Training Wing July 15 in a virtually broadcasted ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland officiated by Maj. Gen. Andrea D. Tullos, the Commander of Second Air Force, Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi.
Wilson, who took command of the Wing from Col. Jason Janaros, previously served as the Senior Military Assistant, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment, and Energy, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
Throughout his career, Wilson has commanded the 628th Mission Support Group, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, the 11th Civil Engineer Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland and the 19th Civil Engineer Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. He graduated from the National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. and is registered in Colorado as a Professional Engineer since 2011.
“Every healthy organization is driven through a healthy climate of success and a climate of competition, and the Warhawks will be no different,” Wilson said. “The success typically occurs through a competitive work environment that continues to focus on the improvement of our Airmen and our members through development of their own internal intrinsic motivation and developing a culture of winning and success.”
He added that the 37th Training Wing has always done that and will continue to.
Because the pandemic prevented a large attendance at the ceremony, and Col. Wilson’s parents and other guests from attending in person, Tullos took time to thank all those watching the livestream for their love and support of the Wilson and Janaros families, as well as for the Wing and military.
“This is probably not the way any of us envisioned sending off Col. Janaros and his family and welcoming Col. Wilson and his family to the Second Air Force team,” Tullos said. “I’m very proud of how our Nation, the San Antonio Community and our military are fighting through the pandemic. So, my first order of business is to thank everyone who is watching the livestream for their role in protecting our nation and our service personnel and our communities; and for the sacrifices everyone is making to protect themselves and their families,” Tullos said.
Janaros, who has been at the helm of the 37th TRW since July 2018, has seen the Wing through some of its most difficult times in modern history including working to revise policies regarding the quality of the dorms and student housing, overseeing the modification of the new Airmen intake basic military training processes during a national pandemic and highlighting cultural changes centered around racism and sexism start right here at the Gateway To The Air Force. He expressed his gratitude for passing the guidon to a leader her considers a friend.
“You have no idea how grateful I am to be handing that guidon to you; a friend I trust,” Janaros said, before listing 37 things for which he was grateful during his time in command here.
In his last email, addressed to the Wing, Janaros wrote, “…It’s about what happens when you dare to care. It’s about sacrifice. It’s about a culture of dignity and respect. It’s about trust. It’s about always having each other’s six. It’s about understanding that everything is better when it is done together. It’s about recognizing that our differences make us stronger, but our values make us one. It’s about leading well, serving well, living well, and loving well. It’s about The Warhawk Way… these are all things I learned from YOU every day.”
Wrapping up the ceremony, Wilson began his address to the Wing, “To the men and women of the 37th Training wing, I cannot tell you how excited I am to be here today.”
“In the Navy they have a tradition of saying, as every outgoing commanding officer would say, ‘all standing orders will remain in effect,’ well, all standing orders will remain in effect toward 37th Training Wing and the Warhawks, for the time being. And we will grow together and we will figure out if there are things to change, and we will change them together.”
He talked about his priorities for success of the Airmen and the Wing, and continuing a winning culture by using the acronym T-R-A-I-N. Trust. Resiliency. Airmen. Innovation. Nurture
“I truly believe that training to win is absolutely the Warhawk way,” Wilson said.
The event was broadcast on the 37th Training Wing Facebook Page and can be watched here or on the Gateway Wing YouTube channel here.