Jayhawks change leadership

  • Published
  • By Frank McIntyre
  • 71st Flying Training Wing public affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Command of the 32nd Flying Training Squadron changed hands during a change of command ceremony Wednesday in Hangar 199.

Lt. Col. David F. Morrissey, who was serving as the 32nd FTS operations officer, accepted command of the squadron from Lt. Col. John Hokaj.

Colonel Hokaj will be attending Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Ala.

"Roberta and I are humbled by the trust and confidence the Wing has placed in us, and are very excited about assuming the helm of such a great squadron," Colonel Morrissey said. "The Jayhawks are an outstanding unit, and I'm looking forward to upholding the squadron's legacy of excellence in training and developing the students into tomorrow's expeditionary leaders."

Colonel Morrissey graduated with military distinction from the United States Air Force Academy in 1990. He earned his pilot wings from Williams Air Force Base, Ariz. as a distinguished graduate in 1991.

He was assigned to the 437th Airlift Squadron, Andrews AFB, Maryland, flying C-21s. During this assignment, he commanded the C-21 detachment at the 4404th Air Base Wing (Provisional) in Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Following his tour at Andrews he was selected as initial cadre for the C-17 at Charleston AFB, S.C. After the completion of his first tour in the C-17, he was selected for the Air Force Intern program and was assigned to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. He returned to Charleston in 1998 and culminated his tour as a C-17 Wing Standardization and Evaluation pilot.

In 2003, after attending Air Command and Staff College, Colonel Morrissey was assigned as commander of Cadet Squadron Nine at the U.S. Air Force Academy. In 2005, he was assigned to Vance as a T-1 instructor pilot.

Colonel Morrissey is a command pilot with more than 3,900 hours, including 2,000 hours in the C-17 and over 80 combat hours in support of Operation Allied Force and Enduring Freedom. His decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with 1 device, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal with 1 device and various unit and campaign awards.