MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, Calif. – Maj. Gen. Randall A. Ogden took command of Headquarters, Fourth Air Force at an official change of command ceremony here Feb. 7, 2017, officiated by Lt. Gen. Maryanne Miller, chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., and commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. The ceremony was attended by elected officials, local civic leaders, 4th Air Force senior leadership, family and friends.
“Fourth Air Force is front and center, and squarely in every contingency exercise and day-to-day operation around the globe,” Miller said. “I know [Ogden] comes to this position ready to serve and to face the opportunities and challenges ahead.”
The new commander arrives from the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. where he served as deputy director for Global Policy and Partnerships on the Joint Staff, advising the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the director for Strategic Plans and Policy on global and functional matters.
“I’m absolutely privileged to be here and look forward to contributing and working closely with the community,” Ogden said. It is about serving, serving our Airmen and I’m absolutely excited to be here.”
Ogden began his Air Force career as an undergraduate pilot training student in Alabama in 1983 and a combat crew training student in New Mexico in 1984, after which he was assigned as a UH-1N aircraft commander and tactics officer for the 67th Rescue Squadron, Zaragoza Air Base, Spain.
He moved to the 1st Helicopter Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, in 1988 and continued flying the UH-1N through 1991.
For the next three-and-a-half years Ogden served as commandant of cadets, Detachment 695, AFROTC, University of Portland, Oregon.
Returning to rescue and helicopters in 1996, Ogden became the director of operations at the 304th Rescue Squadron, Portland International Airport, Oregon, where he served for the next five years.
Ogden expanded his flying in 2005 when he returned to Andrews AFB as a KC-135R evaluator pilot and commander of the 756th Air Refueling Squadron. He went on to fill senior leadership and command positions in Indiana, Kyrgyzstan, North Carolina, Southwest Asia, Illinois, and Washington, D.C.
He is a command pilot with more than 4,500 combined flying hours in the TH-55 Osage, UH-1H Iroqoies, UH-1N Twin Huey, HH-60G Pave Hawk, T-1 Jayhawk, and the KC-135R Stratotanker.
Maj. Gen. John C. Flournoy Jr., who arrived November 2013, relinquished command to Ogden, and will be transferring to Scott Air Force Base, Illinois as United States Transportation Command’s chief of staff.