Col. Silveria assumes command of 48th Fighter Wing

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nathan Gallahan
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  Col. Jay B. Silveria assumed command of the 48th Fighter Wing during a ceremony today. 

The ceremony was presided over by Maj. Gen. Jack Egginton, 3rd Air Force vice commander.

This is the colonel's fourth tour to RAF Lakenheath, fifth if his childhood is included - he graduated from RAF Lakenheath High School 27 years ago.

"Well Maj. Gen. Eggington, I have been a squadron commander in the operations group, a deputy commander in the maintenance group and a deputy in the mission support group and the vice wing commander all here at Lakenheath ... so sir, this tour my plan is to do something in the medical group that doesn't hurt anybody ... and learn to fly helicopters," Col. Silveria said during his speech.

"Although I have some history here at Lakenheath, what's more important is what's in front of us because changes of command are not about looking back, they are about looking forward," he said. "When I look forward for this wing I see great things. The exciting mission of this base will not change. We will continue to provide combat power, support and services to USAFE, European Command, NATO and when called on in any theater in the world."

Prior to assuming his current position, Colonel Silveria was the Special Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander of European Command, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe.

Colonel Silveria has flown combat sorties over the Balkans and Iraq and served as vice commander at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Col Silveria is a command pilot with more than 3,600 hours in the T-37, T-38 F-15C and F-15E aircraft.