Lieutenant Colonel Richard J. Bailey Jr. relinquished command of the United States Forward Operating Locations (FOL) in Curaçao and Aruba to Lieutenant Colonel Tim Beers, today.
The Change of Command is a time-honored military tradition which symbolizes the continuation of leadership and unit identity despite the change in individual authority. It also allows other airmen to personally witness the command authority passing from one officer to another. Passing the ceremonial flag from the old commander to the new commander physically represents this transfer.
Under the command of Lt. Col. Bailey surveillance flights from the FOL achieved many victories in the Caribbean counternarcotics efforts. Flights from the U.S. FOLs directly contributed to the seizure of 139 metric tons of narcotics with a street value of over $2.7 billion USD and 372 counter drug arrests. Also during Commander Bailey’s tenure, U.S. FOL military and civilian personnel volunteered their services in support of dozens of community projects to benefit the people of Curacao by partnering with various local organizations. Commander Bailey received a Meritorious Service Medal Second Oak Leaf Cluster for his accomplishments.
In his opening remarks, Commander Beers stated "It is imperative that we continue to support operations that disrupt transnational drug trafficking. I am convinced that our efforts will undoubtedly enable health, safety, and economic stability of the region and the entire Western Hemisphere."
Prior to taking command in Curaçao and Aruba, Lieutenant Colonel Beers was Training Support Division Chief, Joint IED Defeat Organization, Joint Center of Excellence, at Fort Irwin, California. His previous assignments were as a student at the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and as Squadron Director of Operations at a classified location. Lt Col Beers directed the largest and most diverse squadron in the wing, supporting National Agency, Department of Defense, and allied advanced weapons systems test and training programs. (full bio attached)
The U.S. FOL, 429th Expeditionary Operations Squadron, supports multi-national aircraft operations that conduct detection, monitoring and tracking missions supporting counter-drug
efforts in the region. U.S. FOL Curaçao was established as a result of a multi-lateral agreement between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States whereby aircraft and crews deploy to the U.S. FOL on a temporary basis to conduct mission counter-drug operations.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL TIMOTHY E. BEERS
Lt Col Beers previously served as Chief, Training Support Division, Joint IED Defeat Organization, Joint Center of Excellence, Fort Irwin, California.
His prior assignments were as a student at the Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and as Squadron Director of Operations at a classified location. Lt Col Beers directed the largest and most diverse squadron in the wing, supporting National Agency, Department of Defense, and allied advanced weapons systems test and training programs. While serving in that capacity, he was responsible for making real-time decisions directly impacting sensitive, highest priority Presidential and multinational test missions. He lead twenty-four-hour operations of 525 selectively manned military, Department of the Air Force, and contractor personnel on a vast 12,000-square-mile test range, and managed three billion dollars in Electronic Warfare assets ensuring US and allied warfighter combat effectiveness and survivability. Lt Col Beers’ duties also included directing and performing flight test missions with numerous aircraft. Lt Col Beers was a 1996 distinguished graduated from Clarkson University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering. His outstanding performance during joint undergraduate navigator training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida placed him on the Commodore’s List, which he followed by garnering the "Academic Ace" award for highest academic average at the Joint Aviation Electronic Warfare Course at Naval Technical Training Center, Corry Station in Pensacola, Florida. He was also the recipient of the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Research in Military Studies during his time at Air Command and Staff College.
EDUCATION 1996 Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY. 2001 Master of Science degree in International Relations, Troy State University, Troy, Ala. 2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2006 Air Command and Staff College, Distance Learning Program, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Air War College, Distance Learning Program, Maxwell AFL, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS 1. July 1996 – August 1996, assistant test engineer, 46th Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
2. August 1996 – September 1997, student, joint undergraduate navigator training, NAS Pensacola, Fla. 3. September 1997 – December 1997, student, Joint Aviation Electronic Warfare Course, NTTC Corry Station, Fla.
4. December 1997 – February 2000, RC-135 electronic warfare officer, 343d Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
5. February 2000 – December 2001 – RC-135 training flight, instructor electronic warfare officer, 343d Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
6. December 2001 – September 2002, RC-135 standardization and evaluation/flight examiner, 343d Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
7. September 2002 – October 2003, RC-135 instructor electronic warfare officer, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
8. October 2003 – July 2004, special projects test director, classified location.
9. July 2004 – June 2005, assistant flight commander, classified location.
10. June 2005 – March 2006, flight commander, classified location.
11. March 2006 – August 2006, assistant Director of Operations, scheduling, classified location.
12. August 2006 – September 2006, chief, current operations, classified location. 13. September 2006 – August 2008, Director of Operations, classified location. 14. August 2008 – June 2009, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. June 2009 – June 2011, Chief, Integration Branch, JIEDDO JCOE, Fort Irwin, Calif.
16. June 2011 – current, Chief, Training Support Division, JIEDDO JCOE, Fort Irwin, Calif.
FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Senior Navigator Flight hours: More than 2,400 Aircraft flown: AT-38B, F-16D, E-3B, NIMROD R1, RC-135 V/W, and T-38A MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Rating: Senior Navigator Flight hours: More than 2,400 Aircraft flown: AT-38B, F-16D, E-3B, NIMROD R1, RC-135 V/W, and T-38A Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with silver oak leaf cluster and three bronze oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze star
Kosovo Campaign Medal with two bronze stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Armed Forces Service Medal
Air & Space Campaign Medal with bronze star
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 2001 Squadron Instructor of the Year
2005 Squadron Tester of the Year 2007 Wing Lance P. Sijan Senior Officer Leadership Award
2009 ACSC Dean’s Outstanding Research in Military Studies Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant June 6, 1996 First Lieutenant June 6, 1998 Captain June 6, 2000 Major June 1, 2006 Lieutenant Colonel September 1, 2011