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Personnel center customer becomes the boss

  • Published
  • By Mike Molina
DENVER --  The men and women of the Air Reserve Personnel Center welcomed a new leader after a change-of-command ceremony here Sept. 20.

Brig. Gen. Eric W. Crabtree assumed command of the center from Col. Ann C. Shippy. General Crabtree commanded the 446th Airlift Wing at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., from August 2003 to September 2007.

Colonel Shippy retired on Sept. 20 after more than 28 years of service.

Air Force Reserve Command and community leaders, guests and Air Reserve Personnel Center employees attended the ceremony.

General Crabtree likened the personnel center to the foundation of a pyramid. He said the center's success is necessary to support Air Force combat operations at the tip of the pyramid and promised to take care of the nearly 500 employees who are now under his command.

"I pledge I will take care of you the best that I can," he said. "I will represent you."

As the center's commander, General Crabtree will oversee a mission of providing personnel and administrative support to more than 1.2 million Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard forces.

General Crabtree said the center commander traditionally has been someone from the personnel career field and that being a reservist gives him a unique perspective of having been a customer served by the center.

In May when he was selected for the job, he said the AFRC commander, Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, "wanted someone from the user end to help channel our focus even more to the customers." (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)