'It's an honor and privilege to serve you' Published Feb. 17, 2010 By Col. Ed Wilson Commander, 45th Space Wing Feb. 12, 2010 -- To begin, let me say thank you to the entire team - the men and women of the 45th Space Wing, our mission partners, and the local community - for the tremendous welcome here and at the Cape! From the minute Lisa, Burke, Jordan and I arrived, each of you has made us feel part of the Space Coast community and the "Shark family." A special thank you is in order to General and Mrs. Bolton. Their hospitality and assistance has made this transition as smooth as possible. It's an honor to take command from such a fine professional and friend. We wish them all the best in their new assignment in Washington, D.C. It's been nearly 25 years since I was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in May, 1985. If someone had told me that someday I would be assuming command of the premier space and launch team in Air Force Space Command, the response would have been anything but affirmative! As a kid growing up in Alabama, we used to visit my grandparents who lived in the Daytona Beach area and I had the opportunity to visit the Cape a few times. Although we heard the stories told of the ground rumbling and rockets lifting off, the timing never seemed to work to actually see one. Needless to say, taking command of the 45th Space Wing truly is a dream come true. Many people have asked are there "big changes in store for the wing" as a result of the change of command. The answer is simple, no. We're going to focus on delivering 100 percent mission success, taking care of our people, modernizing the range and base infrastructure, and continuing to strengthen partnerships. Mission, people, modernization and partnerships - it's a simple recipe for success and should sound familiar. Over the next few weeks and months, I look forward to meeting and learning from each of you. Again, thank you for the hearty Space Coast welcome. Lisa and I look forward to serving with you at the Air Force's premier space wing! Rest assured, you will always get our best effort. Just as I know you will give us yours.