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Change of command ceremony welcomes new leader of 914th

Tech. Sgt. Stephanie Sawyer
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914th Air Refueling Wing

The 914th in Niagara Falls has a new commander. Col. Mark Larson took command of the Refueling Wing from Col. Brian Bowman Sunday during a change of command ceremony.

Bowman retired after serving more than 34 years in the Air Force.

"It has been an absolute privilege working alongside the members of the 914th as their commander during the wing's transition from the C-130 Hercules to the KC-135 Stratotanker," said Bowman. "I couldn't be more excited about the future of the wing with Col. Larson in command."

Larson had served as commander of the 931st Air Refueling Wing, an associate unit working alongside the 22nd Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas. Larson is a Command Pilot with more than 4,200 flying hours in tanker, airlift, and trainer aircraft including combat and combat support sorties, ranging from Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm to Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom.

As commander of the 914th, Larson is responsible for all daily operations of a base, which supports nearly 3,000 citizen airmen and soldiers. The Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station is the largest employer in Niagara County.

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