Col. Brian S. Robinson, the 19th Airlift Wing commander at Little Rock Air Force Base, has been nominated by President Obama for promotion to brigadier general and should be confirmed by the Senate soon. He’s a strong leader who has proved himself here at the Rock and in the Middle East. In 2003, Robinson inserted into Iraq an entire aviation brigade of C-17s — the 173rd of Italy — which had never been done before. He was awarded the bronze star, pinned on by Vice President Cheney.
Robinson, who has been commander at LRAFB since last January, came here from Scott AFB in Illinois, where he was executive officer to Gen. Raymond Johns Jr., commander of Air Mobility Command there. The Air Force gives us their best.
Robinson joins a long list of commanders at the base who became generals while serving here or at their next assignments. Gen. Gregory Otey, who previously commanded the 19th Airlift Wing and is now at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, and Gen. Charles Hyde, former commander of the 314th Airlift Wing now at Ramstein AFB in Germany, were recently promoted to general. We’re certain that Col. Mike Minihan, who commanded the 19th Airlift Wing, and Col. Mark Czelusta, who lead the 314th AW, are in line for promotion. They’re great men who deserve their first star.
