McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Knoxville, Tennessee -- Col. Thomas S. Cauthen will become the 10th 134 ARW Wing Commander at a change-of-command ceremony scheduled for June 4.
Cauthen will accept command from Col. Timothy T. Dearing who is scheduled to retire on June 30.
Cauthen, a native of Jefferson City, has been the 134 ARW Vice Commander since August 2006. Cauthen has been a member of the 134 ARW for his entire 27-year Air National Guard career. A command pilot with more than 5,200 flight hours flying aircraft such as the T-37, T-38, and KC-135 (A, E, and R models), Cauthen has also held leadership positions within the Wing as the 151st Air Refueling Squadron Commander, Maintenance Squadron Commander, and Maintenance Group Commander.
Cauthen doesn't plan to make any major changes to how the Wing does business. It's not broken, and there's no need to fix it, said Cauthen. The new commander has acknowledged more than once that the 134th has always been a premier unit. He should know. His father was a member of the Wing for 26 years prior to Cauthen becoming a member in 1984.
The awarding of the Wing's 12th Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is proof that we're moving in the right direction, said Cauthen. Having worked closely with Col. Dearing for the last five years, Cauthen knows the direction the Wing is headed and well positioned to keep moving it forward.
Like Dearing, Cauthen knows it will be the people of the 134 ARW that will ultimately make him successful. It's the hard work and dedication of the men and women of this unit that make it great, said Cauthen. As any of us who have been in the Air Guard for any amount of time know, this is more than just a one weekend per month, two weeks a year job. It takes highly dedicated people to come out here and do what we do.
As the new commander, Cauthen plans to have an open door policy. However, he does have one request. The chain-of-command is there for a reason, said Cauthen, please make sure your leadership knows that you're coming to see me.
Be sure to greet the new commander and congratulate him on achieving this important milestone in his career.