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        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      change of command photosGen. Mark Kelly takes command of ACC
                        
                        
                        Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. returns a salute to Gen. Mark Kelly, commander of Air Combat Command, during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Aug. 28, 2020. Kelly entered the Air Force in 1986, receiving his commission from the Air Force ROTC program at Southwest Texas State University and is also a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours, including more than 800 combat hours in fighter aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ericha Fitzgerald)
                
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        change of command photosGen. Mark Kelly takes command of ACC
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 633rd Air Base Wing Honor Guard present the colors, as Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. (rear left), Gen. Mike Holmes, former commander of Air Combat Command and Gen. Mark Kelly, the new commander of ACC, salute during the national anthem during ACC's change of command ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Aug. 28, 2020. Kelly entered the Air Force in 1986, receiving his commission from the Air Force ROTC program at Southwest Texas State University and is also a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours, including more than 800 combat hours in fighter aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ericha Fitzgerald)
                
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        Change of command photosGen. Mark Kelly takes command of ACC
                        
                        
                        Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. (left) and Gen. Mike Holmes (right), former commander of Air Combat Command, lead applause for Gen. Mark Kelly, the new commander of ACC, during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Aug. 28, 2020. Kelly entered the Air Force in 1986, receiving his commission from the Air Force ROTC program at Southwest Texas State University and is also a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours, including more than 800 combat hours in fighter aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ericha Fitzgerald)
                
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        Change of command photosGen. Mark Kelly takes command of ACC
                        
                        
                        Lt. Gen. Chris P. Weggeman, deputy commander of Air Combat Command, renders the first salute to Gen. Mark Kelly, the new commander of ACC, during ACC's change of command ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Aug. 28, 2020. Kelly entered the Air Force in 1986, receiving his commission from the Air Force ROTC program at Southwest Texas State University and is also a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours, including more than 800 combat hours in fighter aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ericha Fitzgerald)
                
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        change of command photosGen. Mark Kelly takes command of ACC
                        
                        
                        Gen. Mark Kelly, the new commander of Air Combat Command, speaks during ACC's change of command ceremony at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., Aug. 28, 2020. Kelly took command from Gen. Mike Holmes, who retired after 39 years of service in the Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Nick Wilson)
                
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Gen. Mark Kelly takes command of ACCPublished Aug. 28, 2020
                    
                    By Air Combat Command Public Affairs
            **JOINT BASE-LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. (AFNS) --**Service members of **Air Combat Command** welcomed their new commander during a change of command ceremony Aug. 28 at Joint Base Langley-Eustis.**Gen. Mark Kelly** took command from **Gen. Mike Holmes** during a ceremony presided over by Air Force Chief of Staff **Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr.** who shared some words of encouragement to Kelly and highlighted his accomplishments.
“Gen. Kelly is the perfect choice to inspire and lead this command into the future,” Brown said. “Throughout his career, he has demonstrated great courage and leadership. His intelligence and tenacity have been proven time and time again.”
Prior to taking the reins of ACC, Kelly served as the Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations at the Pentagon. As part of his responsibilities, he led the development and implementation of policy directly supporting global operations, force management, weather, training and readiness across air, space and cyber fields.
Kelly entered the Air Force in 1986, receiving his commission from the Air Force ROTC program at Southwest Texas State University. He is a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours, including over 800 combat hours in fighter aircraft.
Holmes talked about those flying hours and how Kelly’s years of experience have prepared him to lead ACC.
“You’ve always made me better,” Holmes said about how he and Kelly have worked together for many years. “You’ve made me a better aviator, a better Airman, a better officer and I know you’ll make ACC better.”
Kelly acknowledged the challenge and accepted the solemn responsibilities of ACC leadership.
“In human endeavor, there is no business, there is no sport – there is no challenge that compares to high-end, high-tech, high-speed combat,” Kelly said. “It is very unfortunately the ultimate team competition, and so it requires an ultimate team. So it goes without saying that (ACC) is a huge force provider, but it is also entrusted with building this ultimate team.”
This team includes more than 156,000 Total Force Airmen and civilians at more than 242 operating locations worldwide.
“And that broader team is built on a foundation of trust — the genuine focus on what’s best for the greater good of the nation,” he continued. “I look forward to working with this broader team and advocating for Air Combat Command as we build this ultimate team.”USAF 



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