Pope unit begins transition to Little Rock

  • Published
  • By Nicole Campbell
  • 43rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. (AFNEWS) --  For 36 years, 41st Airlift Squadron Airmen have called Pope Air Force Base home, but Feb. 23's realignment ceremony marked a new beginning as the unit heads to Little Rock AFB, Ark.

The 41st AS will stand up at Little Rock AFB April 5 under the command of Lt. Col. Dan Tulley, and is a significant step for Pope AFB under the Base Realignment and Closure process. 

"This is just the first of many (moves), and it should hit home that the moves are happening now," said Lt. Col. Thomas Crimmins, the outgoing 41st AS commander.

The realignment originally was scheduled to take place at a later date, but he received the call in August from Air Mobility Command officials and the timeline was shortened, Colonel Crimmins said.

Although the guidon transfer from Pope AFB to Little Rock AFB will not signal an immediate mass exodus of people, about 90 of the current 41st AS Airmen deployed for a scheduled rotation earlier this week as new members of the 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. The remainder have been transferred to the 2nd Airlift Squadron here, awaiting their next assignment.

Colonel Crimmins said when the time comes, most of the deploying Airmen will probably receive orders to go somewhere other than Little Rock. The colonel is among those deploying and said when his deployment ends, he will return to Pope AFB and await Air Force instructions. 

"This is bittersweet," said Colonel Crimmins, who took command of the 41st AS less than a year ago. "The time has been too short, but I understand the needs of the Air Force to move (the squadron) to Little Rock to pick up a new mission and new airplane."

He said although his command has been brief, he is happy he will get to stay with his Airmen and command for another 120 days during the deployment. 

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