PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Brig. Gen. Doug Schiess, former senior military assistant to the Under Secretary of the Air Force at the Pentagon, took command of the 45th Space Wing from Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith during a change of command ceremony, Aug. 23, 2018, at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla.
As the commander, Schiess commands Patrick AFB and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Maj. Gen. Stephen Whiting, 14th Air Force commander, presided over the ceremony.
“While we close the chapter on General Monteith’s time here, we open a new chapter under the phenomenal leadership team of Brigadier General Doug Schiess,” said Whiting. “Doug, you are the perfect commander to take command of the 45th Space Wing and your credentials prove it. Sharks let me assure you, General Schiess is the right commander for this job. He’s got your DNA already, he’s a warfighter, and he’s excelled inside and outside Air Force Space Command.”
Following Whiting, Monteith addressed the audience.
“Sharks, it has been an incredible 1,116 days since the 4th of August, 2015,” said Monteith. “I have watched you make the impossible, possible every single day. We have been through 66 launch campaigns, 25 landings, and we have introduced autonomous flight safety to the range. We have also found time to make an ID card renewal system that will be adopted across the entire Department of Defense. You are making a difference that will pave years, and years, and years down the road.”
Next, Monteith addressed Schiess and his family.
“Doug and Debbie, you are the right team at the right time, to take this wing to the very next level,” said Monteith. “Doug, in just a few short minutes you are going to have the coolest job in the entire world.”
Familiar with the 45th Space Wing mission, Schiess, a former 45th Operations Group commander at Patrick AFB brings a wealth of experience as the new commander.
“This is a special day for me and my family, and I’m happy to be rejoining the sharks at the 45th Space Wing,” said Schiess. “I feel very blessed to be here, and being a part of the Space Coast community again is a dream come true for Debbie and I. It’s like we won the lottery.”
He closed his speech addressing the men and women of Patrick AFB.
“To the Airman and families of the 45th Space Wing at Patrick and Cape Canaveral community, I take honor and pleasure being able to stand in front of you today as your wing commander, and I look forward to serving you each and every day,” said Schiess. “We have a critical mission we will continue to build on the success of the past and continue our excellence in the future. The Sharks of the 45th Space Wing will drive to 48 and we will succeed.”