January - Pittsburgh IAP Air Reserve Station

The FlyoverNewsJanuary 2007Amodeo assumes command of Ops Group5By Senior Airman Marc Nickens911th Public AffairsLt. Col. Frank L. Amodeo, a 1996Embry Riddle AeronauticalUniversity graduate, assumedcommand of the 911th Airlift WingOperations Group, Dec. 3, 2006 asCol. Randal L. Bright, 911th AirliftWing commander, hosted the event.Lt. Col. Amodeo comes to the911th Airlift Wing from Westover AirReserve Base, Mass. where he wasthe deputy Operations Groupcommander.His other commands haveincluded the C-130H evaluatoraircraft commander, Niagara FallsAir Reserve Base, N.Y., MC-130Hevaluator aircraft commander,Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., andMC-130E evaluator aircraftcommander, Kadena Air Base,Japan.“To become and remain expertswe have to safely make the most ofevery training situation,” said Lt.Service before self(Photo by Tech. Sgt. Mary Haney, 911th CS)From left to right: Capt. Ann M. Pesta, 911th Maintenance Operations Flightcommander; Lt. Col. Frank L. Amodeo, 911th Operations Group commander;and Lt. Col. Paul Dobracki, 911th Operations Support Flight commanderserve the 2006 holiday meal to Reservists’ during the December unit trainingassembly.(Photo by Senior Airman Marc Nickens, 911th Public Affairs)Lt. Col. Frank L. Amodeo speaks to the 911th Operations Group after takingreigns as their new commander during an Assumption of Command ceremonyheld Dec. 3, 2006. Lt. Col. Amodeo closed his comments with a special thanks tohis family for all their support. Also pictured here are Tech. Sgt. Robert J.Mathe, a member of the group, and emcee for the ceremony, and Col. Randal L.Bright, commander of the 911th Airlift Wing and host of the event.Col. Amodeo.“Leaders and supervisors of the911th Operations Group, I will callon you to set the right example andto groom the next generation of AirForce leaders. As your commander,I will do what I can to provide youthe leadership, tools andenvironment to succeed. As wecontinue to do our part to defendfreedom and our way of life, I amhonored to serve as yourcommander.”“I have to, from the bottom of myheart, thank my wife Lisa and mydaughters Stephanie and Nicole,”said Lt. Col. Amodeo.“Thank you for your patience andlove throughout my military career.I understand the sacrifices you havemade as you supported me while Idid my small part to serve ourcountry,” he said. “Nothingcompares to the commitments youhave kept, thank you for yourunending support.”Col. Steve Clayton, who servedas the OG commander since August2004, returned to Dobbins AirReserve Base, Ga., to assume dutiesas the 94th Operations Groupcommander.