KAENA POINT, Hawaii --
Detachment 3, 21st Space Operations Squadron,
welcomed a new commander during a change of command ceremony held atop the Waianae
mountain range, Hawaii, June 9.
Maj. Edmond Chan assumed command of the detachment from Maj.
Robert F. Shumaker. Lt. Col. Phillip
Verroco, 21st Space Operations Squadron commander, presided over the ceremony.
“Three years ago, I asked my team here to teach me to be a
better leader,” said Shumaker. “One
hundred and three weeks later, I have been tested in every facet of my
leadership capacity. Thank you everyone
who made this assignment a memorable one.
I am truly sad to leave this place, but I know there are bright times
ahead for Kaena Point.”
Shumaker will be assigned to the 614th Air and
Space Operations Center, Vandenberg AFB, Calif., as the chief of combat
operations.
“Maj. Shumaker was not a ‘behind-the-desk’ type of
commander,” said Verroco. “His command
presence was abundant as he was often down in the trenches with his
Airmen. But we are fortunate that as we
lose Rob [Shumaker], we gain Ed [Chan].
I have absolute confidence that he will do an awesome job here.”
Before taking command of Detachment 3, Chan served as the
deputy chief of the Space Operations Division for the 14th Air
Force, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
“To Rob, your leadership over this unit has given me a
benchmark for success,” said Chan. “To
the men and women of Detachment 3, I consider myself fortunate to be your
commander. Thank you for your steadfast
dedication to this mission.”
Detachment 3 is a component of the 21st Space
Operations Squadron, 50th Network Operations Group, 50th
Space Wing, and is located on the western tip of Oahu. It is the oldest and one of seven worldwide
remote tracking stations in the Air Force Satellite Control Network.