319th Reconnaissance Wing Welcomes New commander

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jovan Banks
  • 319th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D --  

The 319th Reconnaissance Wing welcomed Col. Alfred Rosales as the new wing commander during a change of command ceremony July 1, 2025.

Lt. Gen. Thomas Hensley, commander of the 16th Air Force (Air Force Cyber), presided over the ceremony as Col. Timothy Monroe, outgoing commander of the 319th RW, relinquished command and Rosales assumed command.

“It takes a special person and a special leader to lead all of the responsibilities of the 319th RW,” said Lt. Gen. Thomas Hensley. “I can tell you that Col. Rosales’s experiences have prepared him for this command, right now. To the outstanding men and women of this wing, your dedication and hard work and unwavering commitment to the mission is truly inspiring. Thank you for your bravery, service and dedication to defending our country’s values and principles and for inspiring all of us.”

The 319th RW provides a decisional advantage to our warfighters and national leaders through support of our nation's RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 40 high altitude Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission; ensures strategic command and control through the operation of one of two control nodes for the nation's High Frequency Global Communication System; and oversees the 472nd Electronic Combat Squadron at Warner Robins AFB, Georgia, a GSU operating the E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communication Node, a communications relay and gateway system providing military commanders with a versatile means of exchanging information between air, ground and maritime sources.

Following Rosales’s assumption of command, he addressed his wing and provided his initial impressions of Grand Forks AFB and the surrounding community.

“I have been engaged with many airmen across this base in the last week and I think I have captured the essence of the 319th RW, I think I’ve captured the essence of our community partners – it is this feeling of family,” said Rosales. “I feel it when I shake hands, when I engage, when you say ‘sir I would like to show you something amazing about the 319th RW or something amazing about North Dakota.’ To Lt. Gen. Hensley, thank you for having the trust in me and allowing me to be part of this amazing family.” 

Rosales addressed his family members in the audience, alongside his mentors, and provided his future vision to the airmen of the 319th RW and leaders from the local Grand Forks community while attributing the wing’s culture of connection and excellence to be the result of Col. Monroe’s and his wife Jenny Monroe’s leadership and service.

“We are committed to continuing your legacy of excellence – to grow ready and resilient airmen across the globe, to champion innovation and future technologies here at this wing, abroad and with our partners across the ramp, and to build partnerships with our local community and abroad.” said Rosales.

Prior to his assignment as the 319th RW commander, Rosales was the deputy commander for the 49th Wing at Holloman AFB, New Mexico. He has served in several leadership positions as a squadron commander, instructor pilot for the T-6A Texan II and MQ-9 Reaper, Chief of Strategy for the 612th Air Operations Center and served as a NATO fellow in the Innovation Hub Laboratory for NATO Allied Command Transformation.