From left to right, U.S. Space Force Col. Brian Chatman, Space Launch Delta 45 commander, U.S Air Force Master Sgt. Hudson Marecek, SLD 45 Detachment 2 airfield manager, U.S Air Force Maj. Victor Guinn, SLD 45 Det. 2 outbound commander, U.S Air Force Maj. Michael Alvarez, SLD 45 Det. 2 inbound commander, stand at attention during the SLD 45 Det. 2 change of command ceremony at Ascension Island Auxiliary Airfield, June 30, 2026. Due to the remote location of Ascension Island between South America and Africa in the Atlantic Ocean, command for Det. 2 changes annually. (U.S. Space Force photo by Senior Airman Spencer Contreras)
BREVARD COUNTY • PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, FLORIDA – Few military traditions capture both continuity and change as powerfully as the passing of the guidon. The guidon is a flag that displays the name of a unit and represents its heritage.
During the change of command season, the simple act of this flag changing hands is repeated across the nation’s forces, each ceremony representing an ending, a beginning, and a commitment to those who serve.
From left to right, U.S. Space Force Col. Brian Chatman, Space Launch Delta 45 commander, U.S. Space Force Senior Master Sgt. Scott Flowers, senior enlisted leader, 1st Space Launch Squadron, and U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Montgomery Kirk, 1st Space Launch Squadron commander, participate in a reactivation ceremony at the Sands Space History Center, Florida, June 24, 2026. The 1 SLS was previously inactivated after the Air Force’s final Delta II mission, GPS IIR-21, in 2009. (U.S. Space Force photo by Senior Airman Spencer Contreras)
During a change of command ceremony, when guidons change hands, the outgoing commander first passes the unit’s guidon to the presiding superior officer, which symbolizes relinquishment of command. The presiding superior officer then passes the flag to the incoming commander.
This process marks the formal transfer of authority, responsibility, and accountability for the unit.
U.S Air Force Lt. Col. Clark Smith, outbound 45th Civil Engineer Squadron commander and U.S Air Force Lt. Col. Evan Mines, inbound 45th CES commander, stand at attention during the 45th CES change of command ceremony at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, June 18, 2026. Smith gave the guidon to Chatman during the ceremony, symbolically relinquishing his command of the 45th CES. (U.S. Space Force photo by Noah Bachman)
This season, outgoing Space Launch Delta 45 unit commanders passed their guidons to U.S. Space Force Col. Brian Chatman, SLD 45 commander, who then presented them to the incoming commanders, marking the formal transfer of command in keeping with a centuries-old military tradition.
Chatman praised many of the outgoing commanders’ excellence in their service to their unit and introduced the new commanders to SLD 45 Airmen and Guardians.
The outgoing and incoming commanders also gave speeches of their own. Outgoing commanders reminisced and expressed gratitude to their teammates, and the new commanders outlined their vision for the unit, reaffirming their commitment to the Airmen, Guardians, civilians, and mission partners responsible for delivering world-class launch operations along the Eastern Range.
From left to right, U.S. Space Force Col. Brian Chatman, Space Launch Delta 45 commander, U.S Space Force Maj. Kebin Umodu, inbound 645th Cyberspace Squadron (CYS) commander and U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. John Quinn, outgoing 645th CYS commander, sit during the 645th CYS change of command ceremony at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, June 4, 2026. Quinn gave the guidon to Chatman during the ceremony, symbolically being relieved of his command of the 645th CYS. (U.S. Space Force photo by Jerry Porter)
While every ceremony followed the same traditions, each also reflected the unique mission and people of the unit involved. Several ceremonies stood out for milestones that extended beyond the routine transfer of command.
Among the many leadership transitions, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Chris Bulson relinquished duties as the SLD 45 installation support deputy commander to U.S. Air Force Col. Peter Choi.
From left to right, U.S. Air Force Col. Joshua Peter, 45th Medical Group commander, U.S Air Force Lt. Col. Kevin Rasmussen, outbound 45th Operational Medical Readiness Squadron (OMRS) commander and U.S Air Force Lt. Col. Joseph Gitersonke, inbound 45th OMRS commander, stand at attention during the 45th OMRS change of command ceremony at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, June 16, 2026. Rasmussen gave the guidon to Chatman during the ceremony, symbolically relinquishing his command of the 45th OMRS. (U.S. Space Force photo by Noah Bachman)
The deputy commander guides mission support efforts that enable operations, ensures the readiness of worldwide deployable expeditionary forces, and oversees comprehensive base support for SLD 45, its tenant units, and mission partners.
The position is also responsible for maintaining an $8.8 billion infrastructure that supports more than 16,000 Total Force members and 125,000 retirees.
Lt. Col. Jonathan Szul assumes command of the 1st Range Operations Squadron from Lt. Col. Gregory L. Allen during a change of command ceremony at The Sands Space History Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., June 12, 2026. Col. Brian Chatman presided over the ceremony, which honored Allen’s leadership and welcomed Szul as the squadron’s newest commander. (U.S. Space Force photo by Gwendolyn Kurzen)
On Ascension Island, a new commander took the guidon as SLD 45 Detachment 2 continued its annual tradition of leadership transition. This year, SLD 45 DET 2 transferred command from U.S. Air Force Maj. Victor Guinn to U.S. Air Force Maj. Michael Alvarez. This remote installation is located on an island in the Southern Atlantic Ocean about halfway between Africa and South America.
The season also marked a significant milestone for the U.S. Space Force with the reactivation of the 1st Space Launch Squadron. Reactivating the 1st SLS supports efforts to prepare the Eastern Range for operational growth while enhancing resiliency through the modernization of range and spaceport infrastructure.
After being inactivated in 2009, the 1st SLS remained without a commander for 17 years until its reactivation in June 2026, when U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Montgomery ‘Blair’ Kirk assumed command, ushering in a new chapter as the unit resumed its mission to support the nation’s access to space.
From left to right, U.S. Space Force Col. Brian Chatman, Space Launch Delta 45 commander, U.S Air Force Col. Michael Hawkins, outbound 45th Contracting Squadron (CONS) commander and U.S Air Force Lt. Col. Kyle Gagnon, inbound 45th CONS commander, stand at attention during the 45th CONS change of command ceremony at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, June 18, 2026. Hawkins gave the guidon to Chatman during the ceremony, symbolically relinquishing his command of the 45th CONS. (U.S. Space Force photo by Noah Bachman)
Collectively, the ceremonies highlighted both the accomplishments of outgoing commanders and the confidence placed in those assuming leadership.
As SLD 45 continues to support an increasingly demanding launch cadence, the seamless transition of command across its organizations reinforces the Delta’s commitment to mission success, operational excellence, and the development of the Airmen and Guardians who execute the mission every day.
This Change of Command season served as a reminder that while commanders may change, the mission endures.
Backed by dedicated families, teammates, and mission partners, SLD 45 remains prepared to deliver combat-ready space launch capabilities in support of the nation and its allies.
