Colonel Martin Galvin welcomes Colonel JRF Malo to 22 Wing CFB North Bay Tuesday during the officia change of command ceremony.
Colonel Martin Galvin welcomes Colonel JRF Malo to 22 Wing CFB North Bay Tuesday during the officia change of command ceremony. Colonel Martin Galvin delayed his departure from North Bay as long as possible but today he faced the music and officially handed over command of CFB Wing 22 to Colonel J.R.F. Malo today during a formal signing ceremony on base.
“It is bittersweet,” he says as he told the audience of the plans he had to hold-up his departure.
“I thought maybe I could pull my own filibuster right here.”
Galvin took time to thank everyone who helped make his mission at the22 Wing the success it was especially the citizens of North Bay and the men and women who served under him.
“The men and women of 22 Wing exemplify the very best qualities we look for in the Air Force.”
“Individually and collectively you are making a great difference,” he told the men and women who are about to be deployed to Afghanistan and those who have returned.
Galvin concluded his command of CFB North Bay by stating ‘this is the best job in the world’.
“Every day was a celebration, every meal a feast.”
Having started his distinguished career back in April of 1982 and meeting the love of his life in North Bay Colonel Malo confides that he is excited to be returning to the gateway city.
“I arrived in North Bay in April 1982 and served for five years in this first tour and returned in 1991, so I returned in 1991 as a major as the Operations Officer for 21 Aerospace Control & Warning Squadron and stayed for 3 years,” he tells reporters.
“So it has been 15 years since I served in North Bay and I’ve been looking forward to coming back.”
And with his return to CFB North Bay in the position of base commander Malo faces some significant
challenges during his two year posting, particularly the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and the 2010 G-8 Summit in Huntsville. Malo says it is a great honour to get the nod from his superiors.
“You don’t prepare yourself for this type of appointment they occur if you are at the right place at the right time,” he says.
“Clearly it is an honour because from our perspective (Air Force) North Bay is the hub, the centre of gravity for air defence perspective and to be able to come here and lead this great team that generates the effect that we are trying to generate which is air security and air defences.”
“It is a privilege.”
Malo says he knows he has big shoes to fill in the wake of Galvin but doesn’t intend to make any rash decisions, instead he says he will take a
step back assess the mission and go from there.
Galvin is off to Colorado Springs, Colorado to take up the position of Vice Director of the NORAD/NORTHCOM Command Centre at Peterson Air Force Base.
