190th ARW bids farewell to vice commander

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Emily E. Amyotte
  • 190th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
Forbes Field Air National Guard Base, Topeka, Kan. --  Ret. Col. Chris Turner, former 190th Air Refueling Wing vice commander, celebrated his retirement ceremony Jan. 7, 2017, in the Operations Group Engine Shop with family, friends and fellow coyotes.

Turner is an enthusiastic, energetic and motivational leader, according to those who spoke during the ceremony, and has been the vice commander for the 190th ARW for over two years.

"Today I'm not only saying farewell to a great officer and leader, but I'm saying farewell to a very long and dear friend," said Col. Jarrod Frantz, 190th Air Refueling Wing commander. "And I just want to thank you for everything you've done for this organization and for this wing; for the mentorship that you provide me and the friendship that you've provided me. I'm going to miss you."

Throughout his career, Turner, who has spent almost 20 years with the wing, has held many positions and has been on numerous deployments in support of the air refueling mission. He looked back on his memories with fellow pilots, maintainers and every Airman that he's been lucky enough to work with and lead over the years, he said.

"It's hard to summarize thirty years," Turner said. "But it's been a wonderful career and I've been very blessed. You really have to count your blessings to be surrounded by this group of people."

Lt. Col. Dan Skoda, 190th ARW vice commander, who has filled the position of vice commander, officiated the ceremony and spoke on the large shoes that Turner will leave behind and will soon have to be filled.

"I've seen the depth and the quality of the relationships that you've developed as you've served in the role of vice wing commander," Skoda said. "Following you into this job would be much easier if you hadn't set the bar so high. You have created a legacy of improvement and excellence that I'm excited to carry on."

Lastly, Turner wanted to thank everyone who had contributed to his career and been a part of his journey from his first day off the bus at Lackland Air Force Base to retirement.

"It's always hard to say goodbye," Turner said. "I'll be saying goodbye to lots of friends that I've had for years. And you always wonder, when is it time to retire? For me, it's time. This is my time to retire."