482nd Fighter Wing gains new commander

  • Published
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  Col. Donald R. Lindberg assumed command of the 482nd Fighter Wing from Brig. Gen. William B. Binger, inside hanger 200 on July 10.

Maj. Gen. Frank J. Padilla, 10th Air Force commander, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, transferred the flag of command to Col. Lindberg.

Numerous city officials, civic leaders and friends from various South Florida communities attended. Maj. Gen. Roger A. Binder, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air Combat Command, Maj. Gen. Lance D. Undhjem, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Air University and Brig. Gen. Hector E. Pagan, Commander, Special Operations Command South were among the senior leaders in attendance. Their presence underscored the enduring importance of Homestead ARB to the community.

General Padilla equated the change of command to Joe DiMaggio passing the torch to Mickey Mantle as the great New York Yankee leader.

"He is exactly the right man to fill the very big shoes "Blaze" Binger has left here to fill," Padilla said of Col. Lindberg." He has my utmost confidence in running one of the best wings in the Air Force Reserve Command."

Col. Lindberg is a 1983 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with more than 3,800 hours flying the F-15C, F-16C and F-22A aircraft. He has flown combat missions over Bosnia in support of Operations Deny Flight and Decisive Edge in 1996; Operation Northern Watch over Iraq in 1998, 1999 and 2000 as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005.

Prior to arriving at Homestead ARB, Col. Lindberg was commander of the 44th Fighter Group, Holloman AFB, N.M.