Martinez assumes command of 150th Fighter Wing

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kathee Mullens
  • 150th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Kirtland Air Force Base --  In a ceremony Aug. 6 at Kirtland Air Force Base, Col. Joe A. Martinez II assumed command of the 150th Fighter Wing, part of the New Mexico Air National Guard.

New Mexico National Guard Adjutant General Kenny Montoya spoke to members of the 150th Fighter Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base. He spoke about learning from our past, gaining insight as leaders, and why the decision for the new wing commander is a solid choice for the bright future and the multiple missions entrusted to the 150th.

"The first time I saw Col. Joe Martinez, he was coming from his F-16 (after a flight)," said Maj. Gen. Montoya at the ceremony. "He shook hands with his crew, he treated them like equals. From Princeton (University) to combat, he is the perfect guy to lead. I want to tell you how proud we are of you and how great you are, but I also want to challenge you to be better, to do better. 'Beyond the Standard,'" he said in closing.

The State Assistant Adjutant, Brig. Gen. John D. Bledsoe also spoke, thanking family and friends for their continued support. He also thanked the 150th Fighter Wing's active-duty counterparts, the 58th Special Operations Wing, for giving up their weekend to attend.

"We selected 'Jo-Mart' for his expert, capable leadership abilities. He is quite a visionary and will take us to new heights," said Bledsoe.

Bledsoe said, "I have seen how your new commander is under pressure these last few weeks. You can gauge what someone is made of under pressure. We have every confidence in his abilities as a leader...".

"I will lead from the front," said Colonel Joe A. Martinez II in his first address as wing commander. "Colonel Gallegos set the path. We have gone from F-16s to multiple missions. That's a big change, and with change comes uncertainty. We now have four great missions and we are moving forward. We have tremendous opportunities before us ... we have a great heritage, but we are not looking back, we are moving forward. We are fighting the fight. Our greatest resource is our people. Our future is bright with these new missions. We won't lose our identity; we are citizen-Airmen, New Mexico National Guardsmen and women. We have a long heritage of helping our communities, a proud legacy as citizen-Airmen. We will keep our identity and move forward," said the new wing commander to his defenders.