Forum: F-16 News

Homestead base commander flying off into retirement

COL. RANDALL G. FALCON, COMMANDER OF THE HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, PREPARES TO STEP DOWN AFTER SERVING FOR 34 YEARS AS A PILOT

Posted on Thu, May. 15, 2008

BY KYLE BAILEY
Special to The Miami Herald

The man who at 9 years old knew he wanted to fly for a living soon will pass the baton of leadership of the 482nd Fighter Wing on Sunday at Homestead Air Reserve Base.

It won't be easy.

He has spend his entire career -- 34 years -- flying for Uncle Sam.

As a boy growing up in Baton Rouge, La., Col. Randall G. Falcon (that's right, Colonel Falcon) constantly dreamed of flying, and by the time he finished high school, it was clear what he wanted to spend his life doing.

''When I was a kid, we had a pool in our backyard, and I'd teach swimming lessons with my mom,'' Falcon said, ''and by swimming I'd pretend I could fly. That was my dream, but I knew I couldn't fly by just swimming; it had to be something much more.''

For Falcon, 55, that ''something'' was the U.S. Air Force and a college degree.

''Now I knew I had to switch from playing around and go to college,'' he said.

Falcon did just that, going on to Louisiana State University, where he joined the ROTC and graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting.

With his eyes fixed on the ultimate goal of soaring in the air for the United States, he earned a scholarship from the ROTC and committed to serving in the Air Force.

Years of military training took him across the United States.

Eventually, the Air Force brought Falcon back to Louisiana, where his son Chad was born.

But two years later Falcon was sent north -- about as far north as you can get -- to Fairbanks, Alaska.

It was that uncertainty of active duty that took its toll on Falcon and his family. So he moved to the Air Force Reserve. He could still fly, after all.

''It's a very intense lifestyle, but to be able to see the reef and the different colors of water from such a high altitude is beautiful,'' Falcon said. ''Flying solo was a defining moment for me.''

But make no mistake: His 4,350 hours in the air was never about sightseeing.

Falcon flew 63 combat missions in the Persian Gulf and Bosnia combined. He served in Iraq during the first Gulf War.

''There were some scary moments, and there were times that you were just lucky,'' Falcon said.

One of those moments occurred on Sept. 11, 2001, as Falcon, who happened to be on a congressional visit that day, felt the impact of American Airlines Flight 77 as it demolished the west side of the Pentagon.

''You could feel the whole building move,'' Falcon said.

He escaped injury; he decided at the last minute to take the subway to the Pentagon instead driving in a rental car, which would have put his car in the path of that doomed flight.

Now Falcon -- responsible for command, control and maintenance of a squadron of 25 F-16 fighter jets at the Homestead base as well as more than 1,600 wing personnel -- will retire with pride.

''The things we do -- and the things I can't even tell you this base does to help foreign countries and protect the United States -- is something that gives me the greatest satisfaction,'' he said.

Now he wonders if he can handle the slow pace of retirement, but he looks forward to spending more time with his family in their home in Key Largo.

''I'm definitely not going to sit at home on the couch,'' he said, ''but I think I'm ready to experience what many other people have. It'll be a nice relief.''

For now, Falcon said he's enjoying the last days of flying for the Air Force Reserves.

''I'm certainly going to miss flying the F-16; it's the Porsche of airplanes,'' said Falcon, who officially retires on June 6.

''But I'm going to see the water close up.''

Col. Falcon's Change of Command ceremony will be 10 a.m. Sunday at the Homestead Air Reserve Base.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_d ... 32245.html

New commander assumes duties at air reserve base

Homestead Air Reserve Base welcomed its new wing commander while saying goodbye to 34-year veteran Col. Randy Falcon.

Posted on Mon, May. 19, 2008

By REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

It is a time-honored tradition in the U.S. military: the passing of the proverbial baton of power.

And so it was Sunday, when Col. Randall G. Falcon, commander of the 482nd Fighter Wing at the Homestead Air Reserve Base since 2004, dutifully and stoically turned over the blue-and-gold ''colors'' to the incoming wing commander.

''Over my career of 34 years, I've done this many times,'' Falcon, 55, began, speaking of the Air Force's formal change-of-command ceremony. ''When it's your own change of command and it's your own retirement, and you know this is the last time I get to do this, those emotions come. It really hits you.''

Set against the backdrop of a towering American flag, the tune of the Air Force Song, with hundreds of reservists lined up in formation, the ceremony for Falcon -- and his wife Paula -- befit a man of distinction.

''Throughout his career, Col. Falcon has been a stellar leader, a proven officer and a distinguished fighter pilot for the U.S. Air Force,'' said Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, chief of the Air Force Reserve.

''He is, obviously, an exceptional commander, an exceptional member of the community, and also an exceptional human being,'' added U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, who was among the dozens of dignitaries, military brass, friends, family and other well-wishers gathered at the morning ceremony.

Falcon's send-off was equaled in grandeur only by the welcoming of his successor, Col. William ''Blaze'' Binger, a command pilot who most recently served as the deputy director of Air Force strategic planning in Washington.

'DREAM COME TRUE'

''This is a dream come true for me,'' said Binger, who will be responsible for command, control and maintenance of the 482nd Fighter Wing.

Despite his talk of emotions, Falcon's face betrayed nothing as he spoke.

Perhaps he had been steeled by three decades of Air Force training -- beginning as a reserve officer from Baton Rouge, La.; becoming a command pilot with nearly 4,000 hours under his belt, including combat time in Bosnia and Iraq, during the first Gulf War; and finally, wing commander.

Or maybe it was the pride that comes from having transformed a reserve base once ranked lowest in terms of its aircraft maintenance capability to among the nation's highest.

''I cannot think of a better place to end my 34 years than Homestead,'' Falcon, who officially retires June 7, went on to say. ''By far, this has been my best assignment. By far, you are the greatest people I know.''

Bradley, the Air Force Reserve chief, praised Homestead's reserve base, which was once a full-fledged Air Force Base, before being devastated by Hurricane Andrew. For a time, it appeared as though the base would stay closed. But local pressure convinced the Air Force to reopen the base as a reserve installation.

In 2009, Homestead will once again be home to active duty officers, who will be reassigned to form an ''active associate'' squadron.

The unit will assist the Homestead reservists, providing pilots and workers who will share the responsibility of flying and maintaining the wing's 25 F-16 fighter jets.

INTEGRAL INPUT

Reservists from the Homestead base have been integral to the current military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, Bradley noted.

With more than 1,600 wing personnel -- about 1,200 of them reservists -- Homestead Air Base pilots were among the first to fly combat missions in Afghanistan, he said. The unit has been called up four times since 2001, and will be deployed for the fifth time in January, when the unit heads to Balad Air Base in Iraq, Bradley said.

''This is a fabulous reserve unit and I am very proud of you,'' he said.

Binger -- known as Blaze among military folks -- said he was eager to take on his new role as wing commander, and looks forward to strengthening the base's position within the Air Force Reserve.

''We have to be not only capable and functional, but are actually essential for our nation's defense,'' Binger, 48, said.

''The people in this base are truly a gem.''

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_d ... 38301.html

Col. William B. Binger assumes command of the 482nd FW

by 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

5/21/2008 - HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. -- "This is an exciting day for me. It's a dream come true," said Col. William Binger to hundreds of 482nd Fighter Wing reservists on May 18.

Air Force and community leaders, wing members, and friends filled an aircraft hangar to welcome Colonel Binger as he assumed command of the 482nd FW during a ceremony that doubled as a retirement ceremony for Col. Randall Falcon, the outgoing commander. Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, Chief of the Air Force Reserve Command, presided over Colonel Falcon's retirement.

Brig. Gen. Thomas "TC" Coon, 10th Air Force commander, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, was the presiding official at the change of command.

Colonel Binger, a command pilot with more than 4,400 hours in the F-16 and 40 combat missions over Iraq, comes to the wing after serving Deputy Director of Air Force Strategic Planning and Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs at Headquarters USAF.

Colonel Binger began his speech by thanking his family, friends, everyone in attendance, and all the servicemembers defending freedom around the world.

"I remembered showing up here 19 years ago to fly with the 31st Fighter Wing," he said. "It's like a homecoming to me. My oldest son was born at the hospital on Homestead Air Force Base."

Colonel Binger named the exceptional aspects of the base that include the facilities, location, training ranges and airfield, and he praised the Airmen of the 482nd FW.

"You'll always get 100 percent from me, he said. "I promise that I'll always lead from the front."

During Colonel Falcon's retirement ceremony, General Bradley praised the outgoing commander for his service throughout his 34-year career and his four-year tenure at the 482nd FW.

"Throughout his career, Colonel Falcon has been a stellar leader, a proven officer and a distinguished fighter pilot for the Air Force," General Bradley said.

In addition to a static display of an F-16 for the ceremony, an A-10 Thunderbolt II was flown in to Homestead ARB for the ceremony for static display during the ceremony. Colonel Falcon retires with 4,300 flying hours in the 0-2, A-10A, and F-16, of which 2,800 hours were in the A-10.

Source (five pictures included):
http://www.homestead.afrc.af.mil/news/s ... =123099599

Commander 'Blaze' ready for duty at Homestead base

The new wing commander settled into the Homestead Air Reserve Base this week and found a home in Palmetto Bay.

Posted on Thu, May. 22, 2008

BY REBECCA DELLAGLORIA

Col. William ''Blaze'' Binger spent his first day as the new wing commander of the Homestead Air Reserve Base Monday.

''He's in and he's in command,'' said Senior Airman Erik Hofmeyer, a base spokesman.

Binger took the reigns from Col. Randall G. Falcon, who was the commander of the 482nd Fighter Wing at the Homestead Air Reserve Base since 2004.

An Iraq war veteran, Binger will be responsible for command, control and maintenance of the unit which calls the Homestead base home.

''It is a huge responsibility,'' said Brig. Gen. Thomas R. Coon, commander of the Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, Texas, who spoke at the base's change-of-command ceremony Sunday. ``We don't put leaders in place in these kinds of operations without a lot of thought behind it . . . . I know Blaze is going to do a great job.''

For Binger, the return to Homestead is ''a sort of homecoming,'' he said at the ceremony.

From May 1998 to July 1991, Binger was stationed at Homestead -- then a full-fledged Air Force Base -- where he was a weapons officer and flight commander. One of Binger's sons, Brent, was born on the air base. Son Danny was born at Baptist Hospital in Kendall, Binger said.

Binger, wife Mo, and youngest son, Jake, have found a home in Palmetto Bay and are looking forward to settling back in to life in South Dade.

''We are really blessed here to have the support of our local community,'' Binger said.

Binger brings to Homestead an impressive résumé. He was the tenth pilot ever to log more than 4,000 hours flying an F-16 jet. His history-making flight took place Nov. 18, 2005, when Blaze -- as he is known -- flew a three-hour mission in support of Marine and Army ground forces in Western Iraq.

At the time, Binger was the deputy operations group commander for the the 944th Fighter Wing, from Luke Air Force Base, in Arizona.

Binger joined the Air Force in 1981, after earning a bachelor's degree in industrial technology from California State University.

He was on active duty from 1981 to 1996 and joined the Air Force Reserve the same year.

He most recently served as the deputy director of Air Force strategic planning in Washington.

Source: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_d ... 40817.html