ARPC welcomes new commander

  • Published
  • By Mike Molina
  • Editor
DENVER --  The men and women of the Air Reserve Personnel Center welcomed a new leader during an assumption of command ceremony here April 15.

Col. Kevin E. Pottinger was appointed to command the center by Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., commander, Air Force Reserve Command. Colonel Pottinger was previously the 301st Fighter Wing commander at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Forth Worth, Texas. 

In 1999, he retired from the Air Force Reserve and flew for a major airline as a first officer. After 9/11, Colonel Pottinger requested a military leave of absence from the airline and re-entered the Air Force Reserve in February 2002.

He is a command pilot with more than 3,900 hours of flight time in the F-4 and F-16. 

Colonel Pottinger said he was looking forward to serving reservists and Guardsmen during a time of transformation and change at ARPC and across the Air Force. 

"Today's Air Reserve Component is a fast-moving train that needs our support more than ever," he said. "We must continue to stay aligned with AFRC and the Air Force Personnel Center. Together as a team, let's continue to improve." 

The ceremony was attended by AFRC and community leaders, ARPC Airmen and civilian employees, and World War II veterans from the Greatest Generations Foundation.

General Stenner, who presided over the ceremony, said ARPC is an integral part of the triad with AFRC and AFPC. 

"The evolution of this center and this command is under way," he said. "With the hardworking people we have here, there's nothing that can't be done." 

As the center's commander, Colonel Pottinger will oversee a mission of providing personnel and administrative support to nearly 1 million Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and retired Airmen.