JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. -- The 192nd Operations Group, 192nd Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, conducted its last change of command Aug. 10, 2025, at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia.
Col. Brock E. Lange, 192nd Wing commander, presided over the ceremony as Col. Andrew M. Weidner relinquished command to Lt. Col. Matthew B. Woodfield. The event served as a formal and visual representation of the transfer of authority and responsibility from one leader to another.
“Every change of command is a significant moment, but today is especially unique as the last change of command, at least for now, in the history of the 192nd Operations Group,” Lange said following the ceremony. “In the coming months, the wing will change how we organize, train and equip for a future fight.”
The historic milestone comes as the U.S. Air Force plans to eliminate group-level operations and maintenance commands to stand up a new A-staff structure. This change was announced by USAF Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin in 2024 as part of a larger reoptimization effort to project combat power more effectively and enhance mission readiness.
Woodfield addressed the squadron for the first time as commander, underscoring the importance of prioritizing Airmen and ensuring they have the resources to meet mission demands.
“It’s all about our Airmen,” Woodfield said. “We must make sure they have the resources, training and leadership to succeed in any mission. The 192nd has an incredible legacy, and I look forward to building on it together.”
The 192nd Operations Group will continue its mission under the new command structure, maintaining its focus on combat-ready Airmen and capabilities in support of national objectives.
Weidner led the group since March 2024, overseeing Operation Maverick’s Armistice - the wing’s largest movement since 1999, the most successful cyber mobilization, and efforts to advance the Commonwealth of Virginia’s partnership with Finland in support of the F-35 Lightning II transition and F-22 Raptor capability.
He has been selected to serve as the next 192nd Wing commander and will assume command in September.
In his remarks, Weidner emphasized the importance of building a unified team and sustaining mission-ready forces to strengthen operational capabilities.
“Your number one job was to become a cohesive team and get the mission done, no matter what that means,” Weidner said. “If you were passing every single exercise, then we’re doing it wrong. I wanted you to push yourselves to failure, and we just needed to redefine failure.”
Turning to Woodfield, Weidner added, “I have no doubt in my mind that you’re the right man for the job, and I can’t wait to see what you and the ops group do while we still have an ops group.”