319 OG under new command

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ashley Coomes
  • Public affairs
Grand Forks AFB, ND --  The 319th Operations Group welcomed its new commander Aug. 29 at an assumption of command ceremony. 

Col. Bobby Fowler assumed command of the 319 OG after Col. Lee DeReemer's relinquishment of command in June. 

"Since [Colonel DeReemer's] departure, Col. Dave Sprague has served as the acting commander and ably led the operations group," said Col. Diane Hull, 319th Air Refueling Wing commander. 

"[Warriors of the North] currently have the highest operations tempo of all the tanker wings. I know you are busy, so my job will be to ensure you get a fair shake when it comes to the work load and are also prepared to operate at that tempo," said Colonel Fowler. 

Colonel Fowler graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1983. Following pilot training he was assigned to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and flew as an evaluator aircraft commander in the C-141 with the 20th Airlift Squadron, flying all aspects of the airlift and air drop mission. He was then selected as one of the youngest-ever pilots to fly C-20s for the 89th Airlift Wing as Andrews Air Force Base, Md., flying distinguished visitor special airlift missions throughout the world. He then moved to the Air Force Flight Standards Agency, serving as branch chief for both the flight directives and instrument procedures branches. 

Colonel Fowler was selected to cross flow to the KC-135, and moved to Grand Forks Air Force Base in 1996 as the assistant director of operations in the 906th Air Refueling Squadron. Then he became director of operations for the 911th Air Refueling Squadron. He also upgraded to flight evaluator in the Stratotanker. 

He then attended and was selected to command the KC-135 Weapons School, 509th Weapons Squadron at Fairchild Air Force Base, leading the school through its development and accreditation as the Mobility Air Forces graduate-level air refueling school. 

He then moved to MacDill Air Force Base to serve as the deputy operations group commander with the 6th Air Mobility Wing. 

Before coming to Grand Forks to assume command of the 319 OG, Colonel Fowler was the chief of combat operations division at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., responsible for enhancing Air Mobility Command forces' combat readiness through integration of information operations, tactics, special operations and space operations.