Col. Jeffrey Taliaferro assumes leadership of 28 BW

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Abigail Klein
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
Lt. Gen. Norman Seip, 12th Air Force commander, officiated the change of command ceremony here, June 4. During the ceremony, Col. Jeffrey Taliaferro assumed command of the 28th Bomb Wing from Col. Scott Vander Hamm. 

Before relinquishing command, Colonel Vander Hamm thanked the local communities for their continued support of Ellsworth and expressed his gratitude for the support they provide to all active, reserve, guard and civilian government employees. 

He then went on to express his gratitude to the 28 BW for all their success, and for the privilege of being their commander. 

"There is no metric for success, there are thousands," Colonel Vander Hamm said. "For the men and women of the 28 BW, success is you." 

Colonel Taliaferro, who was previously stationed at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. as the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Fellow, serving as Military Assistant to the Department of Defense Transition Task Force, Office of the Secretary of Defense, expressed his excitement at being the new commander and returning to a base and community he has missed.. 

"Today's 28th Bomb Wing has a proud combat heritage that dates all the way back to World War II," Colonel Taliaferro said. "There is no place on earth, and more importantly, no group of Airmen I would rather be standing with today than those of the 28th Bomb Wing." 

Colonel Taliaferro then expressed the need for the support of each Airmen, despite a difficult time for the nation and the Air Force, as they continue to prepare and train for today's fight. 

"We will continue to focus and prepare to deploy for combat, and to care for the Airmen that are at the heart of the mission," Colonel Taliaferro said. 

Colonel Vander Hamm leaves Ellsworth after two years as commander of the 28 BW, commanding the largest B-1B combat wing in the U.S. Air Force, with 28 aircraft and more than 4,300 military and civilian members. Colonel Vander Hamm's next assignment is at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. as the assistant deputy director for global operations, serving the Joint Chiefs of Staff.