498th gains new commander

  • Published
  • By Marie Vanover
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Kirtland Air Force Base, NM --  On the last day of his Air Force career, Col. Richard Stuckey relinquished command of the 498th Nuclear Systems Wing to Col. Walter Lindsley.

Brig. Gen. Everett H. Thomas, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center commander, presided over the ceremony Monday at the Mountain View Club.

In his remarks, the general spoke of the changes the wing has witnessed under Col Stuckey's command -- the transition from the 498th Armament Systems Wing to the 498th Nuclear Systems Wing, as well as inheriting organizations from three different major commands and the responsibility for operational systems from those commands.
General Thomas thanked Colonel Stuckey for "staying the course, finishing the race and keeping the faith."

Colonel Stuckey thanked the men and women of the 498th and spoke about the changes in the nuclear enterprise.

"Over the past two years, we have faced many challenges as the nuclear enterprise grew and matured, and our wing expanded from around 450 people to more than 1,000," said the colonel. For the first time in the wing's history, the wing received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, which Colonel Stuckey attributed to the hard work of the men and women of the 498th.

In assuming command, Colonel Lindsley gave thanks to his family, his mentors, the men and women of the AFNWC, and the men and women of the 498th.

"I am blessed to have my family support me, and thankful to all the mentors along the way who prepared me for this moment," he said.

Colonel Lindsley received his commission in November 1989 after completing Air Force Officer Training School as a distinguished graduate. He has held various assignments in the maintenance and logistics fields at the squadron, wing, field operating agency, Air Logistics Center and Air Force headquarters levels. He has served as a deployed commander in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and in Korea operations. Before assuming command of the 498th NSW, he served as the vice commander of the AFNWC.