RICHMOND, Va. –
In a time-honored military tradition set against the backdrop of one of the U.S. Air Force’s most recognizable aircraft, the SR-71 Blackbird, the Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support at Ogden team held a change of command ceremony welcoming their new commander June 9 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
Joined by members of the DLA workforce, distinguished visitors, and community partners, DLA Weapons Support (Richmond) Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Launey officiated the ceremony, bidding farewell to outgoing commander Air Force Col. Kazimir Kostrubala and welcoming incoming commander Air Force Lt. Col. Timothy Breitbach.
During the ceremony, Launey officiated the passing of the unit flag from Kostrubala to Breitbach signifying the formal transfer of authority, accountability and responsibility from one commanding officer to another.
In his farewell remarks, Kostrubala highlighted the core values upheld by the DLA workforce that he felt were critical to their success and praised them for their professionalism and dedication to supporting the warfighter, the Ogden Air Logistics Complex and the DLA mission.
“General Launey covered the true characteristics and core reason why we’re here and I just want to reiterate that, as a team we are here to fight,” Kostrubala said. “Everyone here at Hill has a role to play in making sure a component gets out to the field or an aircraft gets in the air and it has been a wonderful journey watching this happen during my time here. Continue to have faith in DLA and the mission of providing support to this amazing ALC. You have proven as a team to be trustworthy and dependable, and people are relying on you to deliver.”
He went on to commend the supervisory team for its humility, which he noted was a key factor in building trust and enabling faster, more effective decision-making for the warfighter. He also praised the workforce for its self-control and focus in the face of challenges.
“Folks will always point fingers at logisticians,” he said, “I am incredibly impressed by the men and women at DLA as they have endured this all-while keeping their eyes on the prize of ensuring warfighter support.”
Kostrubala will move on to command the 374th Mission Support Group at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
Breitbach joins the DLA team with an existing personal connection to the Agency. The connection stems from DLA being the place where he met his wife while serving as a captain at the same time her father was working at DLA as a civilian at what used to be Defense Energy Support Center, now DLA Energy.
“Our family owes a great deal to DLA,” Breitbach said. “We’re full of gratitude for the organization and for the men and women who make it what it is.”
Looking forward, Breitbach went on to align the Weapons Support at Ogden mission directly with the Department of War’s strategic priorities: defending the homeland, deterring aggression, rebuilding the defense industrial base and strengthening alliances.
“Our mission here supports each and every one of these priorities,” he stated firmly. “The capability we provide to our warfighters is one of, if not the critical component in the bedrock of homeland defense. The sustainment enterprise is our key to power projection and to deter our adversaries abroad. What we do here is the defense industrial base.”
This direct support to the industrial base is the core of the agency’s function at Hill. DLA Weapons Support at Ogden provides supply chain and logistics solutions for the Ogden ALC and its industry partners. By managing the supply of millions of consumable parts, DLA ensures that the ALC’s skilled maintainers have the materials they need, when they need them, to return critical assets to the warfighter at peak readiness.
This seamless integration between DLA and the ALC is crucial for national defense. A grounded aircraft waiting for a part cannot contribute to the mission. The work done by the Weapons Support at Ogden team directly translates to mission-capable aircraft on the flight line, enhancing the Air Force’s ability to project power and respond to global contingencies.
Breitbach closed out the ceremony pledging to build on the successes of his predecessor and continue driving progress on key initiatives.
“The Air Force cannot successfully achieve its priorities without the work that our weapon systems support team does,” he said. “I’m humbled and grateful for this opportunity and I’m incredibly excited to meet you all, to learn from you, and work with you each and every day.”