Col. Michael Thomas, 127th Wing commander, hands the 127th Operations Group guidon to Lt. Col. Douglas Champagne as Champagne formally assumes command of the group. Champagne previously served as the commander of the 107th Fighter Squadron at Selfridge Air National Guard Base and recently led the squadron on a deployment to Afghanistan, the sixth combat deployment of Champagne's career. Behind the flag is SMSgt. Ethan Boyd, the first sergeant for the 127th Operations Group, and Lt. Col. Emmanuel Saridakis, who took command of the 107th Fighter Squadron in the same ceremony, March 10, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt. David Kujawa) Hi-res
Col. Leonard Isabelle addresses the 127th Operations Group at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., moments before relinquishing command of the group to Lt. Col. Douglas Champagne in a March 10, 2012, change of command ceremony. Isabelle is moving to a position at Joint Forces Headquarters in Lansing, Mich. The 127th Operations Group flies the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt. David Kujawa) Hi-res
Lt. Col. Emmanuel Saridakis holds the 107th Fighter Squadron guidon after assuming command of the squadron during a March 10, 2012, ceremony at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich. Saridakis, an A-10 Thunderbolt pilot, relieved Lt. Col. Douglas Champagne, who took command of the 127th Operations Group. The banners on the guidon reflect the almost 100-year history of the 107th FS. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt. David Kujawa) Hi-res
After this photo release, 127th Fighter Wing Public Affairs released the following news article:
Champagne, Saridakis Take New Leadership Roles
127th Wing Public Affairs
3/10/2012 - SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. -- Two combat veterans took on new duties as the Michigan Air National Guard's 127th Operations Group and 107th Fighter Squadron witnessed a change of command ceremony Saturday, March 10 at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. Lt. Col. Douglas Champagne took command of the Operations Group and Lt. Col. Emmanuel Saridakis took command of the Fighter Squadron in a ceremony in front of a formation of the group's pilots, maintenance and support personnel and other wing officers and Airmen.
The group and squadron operate the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft.
Lt. Col. Champagne earned his commission in the U.S. Air Force in 1987, serving on active duty through June 1996. Upon leaving active duty, he immediately joined the Michigan Air National Guard, serving as a full time member of the 107th Fighter Squadron. He has served the unit in various positions, including chief of weapons, chief of scheduling and training, chief of safety, director of operations and, most recently, as the squadron commander. Champagne is a command pilot with over 3,000 flying hours in the F-16 Falcon and over 500 flying hours in the A-10. His service includes more than 500 hours of combat flying missions on six overseas deployments in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Calm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. On Sept. 11, 2001, Champagne flew in the first fully armed combat air patrol over Detroit.
After accepting the flag as the 127th Operations Group commander, Champagne challenged the Airmen witnessing his stepping into a new leadership role to all be leaders.
"It's leadership that will take this group through the most turbulent times we've faced in our history," he said. "This simple act of positively influencing others will make us successful."
Champagne replaced Col. Leonard Isabelle, who is moving to a position at Joint Force Headquarters-Michigan.
Lt. Col. Saridakis replaced Champagne as 107th Fighter Squadron commander. Saridakis joined the Air National Guard in 1997, as a member of the 107th Fighter Wing in Massachusetts. He later served with the 110th Fighter Wing in Battle Creek, Mich., and the 175th Wing, Maryland. From 2006 to 2011 Saridakis served as the chief of the close attack branch at Headquarters, Air Combat Command, Joint Integration Division, responsible for enhancing the USAF's close air support, forward air controller, special operations, and other joint air-to-ground integration capabilities. Saridakis served on active duty 1989-1997, gaining his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at Cornell University. Saridakis earned his wings through the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in 1990. He has been with the 107th Fighter Squadron since 2009.
Upon his acceptance of the 107th Fighter Squadron flag, Saridakis told the Airmen of his new command, many of whom had just returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan: "Your commitment and hard work is that which will sustain our combat readiness."
The leadership changes come as the unit braces against the unknown impacts of an Air Force budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 which has called for the deletion of the A-10 aircraft at Selfridge, a base which has hosted fighter aircraft for almost 100 years. Saridakis addressed this by telling the audience of family, friends, Base Community Council members, and elected officials, "The spirit of aviation will go from one aircraft to the next ... but we cannot afford a rest, and we cannot afford to focus on things we cannot control. We must be what our Air National Guard value statement says we are: equally capable, equally proficient, and equally accessible (to the active duty force)."
With approximately 1,700 Airmen assigned, the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard is the host organization at Selfridge, flying the KC-135 Stratotanker, an aerial refueler, and the A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, which is an air-to-ground attack fighter. The Airmen at Selfridge support the Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command and the Air Force Special Operations Command. to In addition to the 127th Wing, Selfridge is home to numerous other military and federal agencies, which fly a variety of helicopters and small, light fixed-wing aircraft.
More information on the 127th Wing and Selfridge Air National Guard Base is available at www.127wg.ang.af.mil.
Source
Related photo from the Warthog News archives:
Lt. Col. Emmanuel Saridakis runs through his pre-flight checklist after strapping into the cockpit of an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., Feb. 14, 2012. Saridakis is a pilot with the 107th Fighter Squadron. The A-10s at Selfridge have resumed a regular local flying and training schedule, following the return of local Airmen from a deployment to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt. Dan Heaton) Hi-res
Related news media coverage:
Facing loss of A-10 Thunderbolt II, Selfridge Air National Guard members welcome new commanders
By Dustin Block
MLive
Published: Saturday, March 10, 2012, 7:29 PM; Updated: Sunday, March 11, 2012, 1:23 PM
Guard members who operate the A-10 Thunderbolt II at Selfridge Air National Guard Base shouldn't focus on the possibility of the aircraft being eliminated from the base in 2013, according to the new commander of the 107th Fighter Squadron.
"The spirit of aviation will go from one aircraft to the next ... but we cannot afford a rest, and we cannot afford to focus on things we cannot control," said Lt. Col. Emmanuel Saridakis, who took command of the fighter squadron on Saturday. "We must be what our Air National Guard value statement says we are: equally capable, equally proficient, and equally accessible (to the active duty force)."
Saridakis was joined by Lt. Col. Douglas Champagne participated at Saturday's change of command ceremony at Selfridge. Champagne is the new head of the 127th Operations Group. The 127th Operations Group and the 107th Fighter Squadron operate 24 Thunderbolts, also known as Warthogs, which would be deleted from Selfridge next year under a proposed Air Force budget. The move would eliminate 720 jobs at the base.
With approximately 1,700 Airmen assigned, the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard is the host organization at Selfridge, flying the KC-135 Stratotanker, an aerial refueler, and the Thunderbolt, which is an air-to-ground attack fighter. The airmen at Selfridge support the Air Combat Command, Air Mobility Command and the Air Force Special Operations Command. to In addition to the 127th Wing, Selfridge is home to numerous other military and federal agencies, which fly a variety of helicopters and small, light fixed-wing aircraft.
Champagne earned his commission in the U.S. Air Force in 1987, serving on active duty through June 1996. Upon leaving active duty, he immediately joined the Michigan Air National Guard, serving as a full time member of the 107th Fighter Squadron. He has served the unit in various positions, including chief of weapons, chief of scheduling and training, chief of safety, director of operations and, most recently, as the squadron commander. Champagne is a command pilot with over 3,000 flying hours in the F-16 Falcon and over 500 flying hours in the A-10.
His service includes more than 500 hours of combat flying missions on six overseas deployments in support of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Calm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. On Sept. 11, 2001, Champagne flew in the first fully armed combat air patrol over Detroit.
Champagne replaced Col. Leonard Isabelle, who is moving to a position at Joint Force Headquarters-Michigan.
Saridakis replaced Champagne as 107th Fighter Squadron commander. Saridakis joined the Air National Guard in 1997, as a member of the 107th Fighter Wing in Massachusetts. He later served with the 110th Fighter Wing in Battle Creek, Mich., and the 175th Wing, Maryland. From 2006 to 2011 Saridakis served as the chief of the close attack branch at Headquarters, Air Combat Command, Joint Integration Division, responsible for enhancing the USAF's close air support, forward air controller, special operations, and other joint air-to-ground integration capabilities.
Saridakis served on active duty 1989-1997, gaining his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at Cornell University. Saridakis earned his wings through the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in 1990. He has been with the 107th Fighter Squadron since 2009.
Source
Lt. Col. Douglas Champagne takes command at Selfridge
The Macomb Daily
Published: Sunday, March 11, 2012
Two combat veterans are taking on new duties with the Michigan Air National Guard.
The Guard's 127th Operations Group and 107th Fighter Squadron had a change of command ceremony on Saturday at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township.
Lt. Col. Douglas Champagne took command of the Operations Group, and Lt. Col. Emmanuel Saridakis took command of the Fighter Squadron in front of a formation of the group's pilots, maintenance and support personnel and other wing officers and airmen.
The group and squadron operate the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft.
On Sept. 11, 2001, Champagne flew in the first fully armed combat air patrol over Detroit. He replaces Col. Leonard Isabelle, who is moving to a position at Joint Force Headquarters-Michigan.
Champagne earned his commission in the U.S. Air Force in 1987, serving on active duty through June 1996. Upon leaving active duty, he immediately joined the Michigan Air National Guard, serving as a full-time member of the 107th Fighter Squadron. He has served the unit in various positions, including chief of weapons, chief of scheduling and training, chief of safety, director of operations and, most recently, as the squadron commander.
Champagne is a command pilot with over 3,000 flying hours in the F-16 Falcon and over 500 flying hours in the A-10. His service includes more than 500 hours of combat flying missions on six overseas deployments in support of operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Desert Calm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. On Sept. 11, 2001, Champagne flew in the first fully armed combat air patrol over Detroit.
After accepting the flag as the 127th Operations Group commander, Champagne issued a challenge to the assembled airmen.
"It's leadership that will take this group through the most turbulent times we've faced in our history," he said. "This simple act of positively influencing others will make us successful."
Champagne replaced Col. Leonard Isabelle, who is moving to a position at Joint Force Headquarters-Michigan.
Saridakis replaced Champagne as 107th Fighter Squadron commander. Saridakis joined the Air National Guard in 1997, as a member of the 107th Fighter Wing in Massachusetts. He later served with the 110th Fighter Wing in Battle Creek, and the 175th Wing, Maryland. From 2006 to 2011.
Saridakis served as the chief of the close attack branch at Headquarters, Air Combat Command, Joint Integration Division.
Saridakis served on active duty 1989-1997, gaining his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Cornell University. He earned his wings through the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in 1990. He has been with the 107th Fighter Squadron since 2009.
The leadership changes come as the unit braces against the unknown impacts of an Air Force budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 which has called for the deletion of the A-10 aircraft at Selfridge, a base which has hosted fighter aircraft for almost 100 years.
"The spirit of aviation will go from one aircraft to the next ... but we cannot afford a rest, and we cannot afford to focus on things we cannot control, “Saridakis said. "We must be what our Air National Guard value statement says we are: equally capable, equally proficient, and equally accessible (to the active duty force)."
With approximately 1,700 airmen assigned, the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard is the host organization at Selfridge, flying the KC-135 Stratotanker, an aerial refueler, and the A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, which is an air-to-ground attack fighter.
In addition to the 127th Wing, Selfridge is home to numerous other military and federal agencies, which fly a variety of helicopters and small, light fixed-wing aircraft.
Source
Please note: This post will be further updated soon.
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