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Airmen assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing welcomed Col. Denny R. Davies as the new 86th AW commander June 10.
Brig. Gen. Adrienne L. Williams relinquished command to Davies during a ceremony, presided over by Brig. Gen. Stephen P. Snelson, U.S. Air Forces in Europe–Air Forces Africa deputy commander. Williams commanded the wing from May 17, 2024, to June 10, 2026. She set a vision that strengthened partnerships and prioritized executing the 86th AW’s litany of no-fail missions.
During the ceremony, Snelson passed along praise from Maj. Gen. Paul D. Moga, the Third Air Force commander who was unable to attend the ceremony.
“For the past two years, Gen. Williams provided exactly that leadership – she led the 86th Airlift Wing with class and excellence, constantly hopping from one crisis to another,” Snelson said. “She never lost her poise and always remembered to take care of her people and their families.”
During her command, Williams led the Global Gateway in supporting Operation Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury, orchestrating worldwide air mobility operations that connected combatant commands, Allies, partners and joint forces.
“If there’s one thing our wing proved over the last two years, it’s that readiness is more than a metric, it’s a mindset,” said Williams. “When I reflect on the last two years, I don’t think first about the statistics, awards, or operations, I think about the people.”
Additionally, on Dec. 4, 2024, when a massive industrial fire erupted in Landstuhl, she enabled U.S. Air Force firefighters from Ramstein to join German emergency responders in a coordinated effort to extinguish the blaze.
Williams emphasized the critical role of the wing’s Total Force Airmen who support global operations daily. She concluded by commending their readiness and ability to strengthen access, basing, overflight, and burden sharing through relationships with strategic Allies, Partners, Joint services, interagency partners, and local leaders.
“The Global Gateway succeeds because of the relationships we built with our host nation partners, our local communities, our NATO allies, our joint teammates, and each other,” Williams said. “Those relationships matter. They create trust, trust creates teams, teams create capability, and capability is victory.”
As Davies assumed command, he expressed deep gratitude for the 86th AW’s commitment to the mission and expressed his confidence the wing will remain a strong force in the Department of War as the nation’s Global Gateway.
“Time and again, this wing stands in the breach to ensure mission success, peace, and prosperity from the East Coast of the United States to the Far East, from the Arctic Circle to the southern tip of Africa,” said Davies. “Morning, noon, and night, the Global Gateway stands firm in support of the most consequential operations of the 21st century.”
Previously, Davies commanded the 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, and served as deputy commander at the 86th AW. Additionally, he is a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours and six deployments supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
The 86th AW supports the headquarters for USAFE-AFAFRICA, Third Air Force, three tenant wings and more than 120 mission partners to include 56,000 U.S. service members, Department of War civilians, and their families in the Kaiserslautern Military Community.
“May God bless us, and may each of us be worthy of the privilege of serving our great nation,” said Davies. “Let’s get to work.”
With origins dating back to the Roman legions, military changes of command initially included the transfer of a baton symbolizing orderly transition of authority. The tradition evolved through Prussian military customs, with unit flags representing a unit’s identity, trust and heritage. In the U.S., the ceremony reflects the enduring principle of leadership continuity and civilian control of the military, symbolized today by the passing of the unit flag from one commander to the next.
