DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, ARIZ. -- Lt. Col. Christopher Escajeda took command of the 943d Rescue Group during an assumption of command ceremony held at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Jan. 8, 2023.
The assumption of command is a long-standing military tradition that allows troops the opportunity to witness a new leader assuming their new duty position.
Prior to this ceremony, Escajeda served as the 943d RQG deputy commander and is a command pilot with over 4,000 hours on four different aircraft.
“Being ready to win the next war is not just something we say, it is truly the very nature of our business. We need to be constantly prepared. We will continue to evolve as a combined arms team and focus on our war fighting competence. We will do it together to keep the 943d at the forefront of excellence,” Escajeda said.
A geographically separated unit of the 920th Rescue Wing, the 943d Rescue Group trains and equips its Airmen who carry out its mission, to search for, locate and recover U.S. Armed Forces personnel during military operations. Air Force rescue is the only DoD entity specifically organized, trained and equipped to conduct personnel recovery operations into hostile or denied areas as a primary mission.
The 943d RQG is comprised of the 943d Maintenance Squadron, 943d Aerospace Medicine Squadron, 943d Operations Support Flight, 943d Mission Support Flight, and 306th, 305th and 304th Rescue Squadrons.