71st FTW welcomes new commander Published Nov. 28, 2006 By Public Affairs Public Affairs Vance Air Force Base, Okla. -- The former commander of the 100th Operations Group, Royal Air Force Station Mildenhall, England, became the new commander of the 71st Flying Training Wing in a change of command ceremony Wednesday at Vance Air Force Base. Col. Bryan Benson, a command pilot with more than 3,400 flight hours, became the new commander of the 71st FTW -- responsible for the only joint specialized undergraduate pilot training program in the Department of Defense. Maj. Gen. Edward Ellis, 19th Air Force commander, served as the officiator and guest speaker during the event. "While today we say goodbye to one great leader, it is our custom in the U.S. military that we have a definitive time and date to very visibly transfer the mantle from one great officer to another," said General Ellis, a former 71st FTW commander. "Today we pass that responsibility on to your next leader - an aviator - Col. Bryan Benson. Bryan Benson is the perfect leader to follow (Col.) Mike Callan. He brings an absolutely outstanding record with his career in the U.S. Air Force to Vance." Colonel Benson, once a student pilot at Vance AFB, has now returned 23 years later as the wing commander. He thanked the many attendees, but especially the Airmen, sailors, Marines, civilians and contractors of Team Vance. "It is my distinct pleasure and honor to stand before you as your wing commander," said the colonel. Colonel Benson is a 1983 graduate of Parks College of Saint Louis University and received his commission as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. Colonel Benson succeeded Col. Mike Callan, who will become the assistant deputy director for Special Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.