Walter takes Helm of 315 MXG

Col. Thomas Walter, right, accepts the guidon for the Air Force Reserve’s 315th Maintenance Group from Col. Greg Gilmour, 315th Airlift Wing commander, during an assumption of command ceremony at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., April 15. “Charleston will be the place people talk about when they talk Total Force,” Walter said during the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Justin Clark)

Walter takes Helm of 315 MXG

Elements of Airmen representing the different components of the 315th Maintenance Group stand in formation during an assumption of command ceremony for their incomming commander, Col. Thomas Walter at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., April 15. A Charleston C-17 Globemaster III stands in the background outside one of the base's nose dock hangars. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Justin Clark)

Walter takes Helm of 315 MXG

Col. Thomas Walter assumed command of the 315th Maintenance Group April 15 during a ceremony at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. Walter most recently served at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, as the 477th Fighter Group's Mantenance deputy commander. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Justin Clark)

Walter takes helm of 315th Maintenance Group

Published April 17, 2018
By Capt. Justin Clark
315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Col. Thomas Walter, the new commander of the Air Force Reserve’s 315th Maintenance Group, assumed command during a ceremony held here, April 15.

Walter said that he looked forward to taking command of the group and emphasized open lines of communication sharing of ideas within the group. He also thanked the individuals who helped to bring him to Charleston.

Walter recently served as of the 477th Fighter Group’s Maintenance Group deputy commander at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. He had also served in several roles at the Pentagon.

“As we continue to work through our transition from Alaska, I can’t say enough for the efforts behind the scenes getting this support,” said Walter.

The 315th Maintenance Group is the Reserve unit at Charleston that, alongside the active duty 437th Maintenance Group, maintains 51 Charleston C-17 Globemaster IIIs. Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 315th work alongside active-duty Airmen to help carry out JB Charleston’s C-17 global airlift mission in a concept known as Total-Force Integration.

“Recently we spoke more about what we expected as TFI partners, and we are lockstep,” said Walter of his active-duty counterparts. “We’ll do our part to make this one of the best places ever. It’s absolutely a top notch organization, and Charleston will be the place people talk about when they talk Total Force.”

Col. Greg Gilmour, 315th Airlift Wing commander, officiated the ceremony, and highlighted the profiles of both maintenance groups.

“What a beautiful day to get the chance to assume command of the best maintenance group in Air Force Reserve Command, combined with the best maintenance group in Air Mobility Command, which makes you the best in the Air Force,” said Gilmour.

Walter enlisted in the Air Force in 1981 and served as an aircraft electrician until commissioning in 1995. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, and a master’s degree in Military Operational Art and Science from Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.