Healy takes command of 22nd Air Force

  • Published
  • By James Branch
  • 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Maj. Gen. John P. Healy took command of 22nd Air Force from Maj. Gen. Craig L. La Fave during a ceremony at the Clay National Guard Center Drill Hall, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, July 26, 2019.

The ceremony was officiated by Lt. Gen. Richard W. Scobee, commander of Air Force Reserve Command and Chief of the Air Force Reserve.

Twenty-Second Air Force is a unique organization, said Scobee. In addition to its core mission of tactical airlift, it has units that perform special tasks, and have a hand in almost everything the Air Force does. For that reason, the 22nd AF commander must possess a wide range of experience.

He applauded La Fave and his wife Jill for their leadership and service to the Airmen of 22nd AF over the past 20 months, and welcomed their successors, Healy and his wife Cathy.

“General Healy has the ability, personality and vision to keep 22nd Air Force on point,” said Scobee, to the many service members, civic leaders, families and guests in attendance.

La Fave reflected on his tenure as 22nd Air Force commander.

“The last 20 months for 22nd Air Force have been nothing less than spectacular,” he said. “Recently, the 910th Airlift Wing out of Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, accomplished the largest sustainment airdrop in Central Command history.”

“We have had a continuous presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, equipping our service members and taking the fight to the enemy,” he added. “The sun has never set on 22nd Air Force, and I trust that Jill and I presented a model to you of what an Air Force family is all about.”

Upon Scobee’s command to publish Order 19-06, General La Fave relinquished command of 22nd Air Force to General Healy.

Healy is the former Director of Exercises and Assessments and Advisor on Reserve Component Affairs for U.S. European Command at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. He was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force through the ROTC program at the University of Connecticut in 1989, and has flown the C-5, C-17 and C-141 aircraft.

Healy also commanded a C-5 Galaxy squadron, served as a Vice Wing Commander at Westover Air Reserve Base, Massachusetts, and deployed as the Division Chief of Current Operations to the U.S. Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. He said he plans to use that experience.

“I’m proud to be back at 22nd Air Force, since serving with the 439th Airlift Wing before it transitioned to 4th Air Force,” he said. “My priority is readiness; continued readiness for the fight. The traditional excellence of 22nd Air Force will continue. You expect it, and I expect it.”

Twenty-Second Air force is one of three numbered air forces in the Air Force Reserve Command. It’s a combat ready force comprised of more than 12,000 Reserve Citizen Airmen in 14 units at 30 locations across the U.S. Department of Defense.

Healy will be responsible for the Air Force Reserve’s tactical airlift capability provided by units flying the C-130 Hercules. In addition to airlift, 22nd AF units perform a variety of mission sets to include aeromedical evacuation, distinguished visitor airlift, undergraduate pilot training, civil engineering, flight test, joint planning, Basic Military Training and more.