SPADs welcome new commander

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Samantha Mathison
  • 301st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
NAVAL AIR STATION FORT WORTH JOINT RESERVE BASE, Texas --  Lt. Col. David Efferson assumed command of the 457th Fighter Squadron April 12 here during a change-of-command ceremony.

Efferson, who hails from Fort Worth Texas, became commander of the fighter squadron when he saluted and said, "Sir, I assume command" and received the guidon in front of more than 75 servicemembers, families and community partners.

Col. Kevin Zeller, 301st Operations Group commander, presided over the ceremony.

"The 301st Fighter Wing is a combat-operational fighter wing and the 457 FS is the tip of that spear. We have a responsibility to our nation to provide the best-trained, best-equipped combat-ready Airmen to defend our nation's interests 24/7 and that's what we intend to do," Zeller said.

Airmen of the 457th FS gathered in formation to welcome their new commander.

"I want to work with them through the months and years, and hopefully together as Citizen Airmen, we can find a solution that has a balance between the needs of our nation and needs of our families," Efferson said.

Efferson, the former operations group deputy commander, joins the ranks of his father, Brig. Gen. (ret.) Bob Efferson, who attended the ceremony and commanded the 301st FW from July 1994 to April 1999. The general, an F-105 pilot, was among those servicemembers assigned to the wing when it relocated to Carswell in 1972.

"Thanks for being a good role model and commander," Efferson said to his dad during the ceremony.

Efferson succeeds fighter squadron commander, Lt. Col. John Marusa.

"It was an opportunity of a lifetime and I am grateful for it," Marusa said. "I am humbled to join the ranks of previous squadron commanders of the SPADs."