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Djibouti 449th Air Expeditionary Group receives new commander
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CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti - The 449th Air Expeditionary Group held a change of command on the flightline of Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, March 8
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.Air Force Col. Alan C. Bridges succeeded Air Force Col. John M. Crocker. Crocker will return to Sacramento and reassume his position as the California Air National Guard Joint Force Headquarters – California Operations director.
In addition to serving as the 449th AEG commander, Bridges will also oversee air operations for Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa as the director of the Air Component Coordination Element.
Before his arrival to Camp Lemonier, Bridges served as the assistant to the commander for Base Realignment and Closure and Legislative Affairs. He was the principal legislative advisor to the commander and senior staff at Air Force Material Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
The colonel served as a MH-53J aircraft commander and instructor for all four Pave Low squadrons: Royal Air Force Woodbridge, United Kingdom; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea; and Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. Additionally, he taught air power, information warfare and political science at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., as well as the director for Plans and Policies in Special Operations Command Europe.
He earned a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and his Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Southern California’s United Kingdom program. The Georgia native was a Distinguished Graduate of Air Command and Staff College where he earned the Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award. The colonel has also attended Squadron Officer School and Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
 Bridges is a command pilot with more than 3,000 flight hours in the UH-1N and MH-53J aircraft, and has flown missions in operations to include Desert Shield, Dessert Storm, Operation Provide Comfort and Operation Northern Watch.
During his 24 years of service, Bridges has earned the Defense Meritorious Service
Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
Source: ADI
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