New vice commander to arrive this summer

Published March 30, 2010
By 18th Wing Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Col. Ricky Rupp, the U.S. Air Force fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., will succeed Col. Lenny Richoux as the 18th Wing vice commander this summer.

Prior to his current assignment at CSIS, Colonel Rupp served as the executive secretary to the Secretary of Defense.

Colonel Rupp is a command pilot with more than 4,400 hours in the C-130, T-38 and C-17 aircraft. He has served as the commander of the 14th Airlift Squadron and the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.

Colonel Richoux will depart Kadena to take command of the 6th Air Mobility Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.