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Allen becomes AFIMSC’s fourth commander

  • Published
  • By Malcolm McClendon
  • AFIMSC Public Affairs

01:59
VIDEO | 01:59 | AFIMSC Welcomes New Commander
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- Maj. Gen. John Allen said he is fortunate to be taking command of the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center July 12 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

“This is a wonderful organization, and I know it because I’ve been part of it for the last two years. It’s going to be a privilege to lead this team,” Allen said.

Allen, who previously commanded the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, a subordinate unit of AFIMSC, replaced Maj. Gen. Tom Wilcox, who is retiring after 31 years of service. He’s a career civil engineer officer and has served in various leadership roles to include squadron, group and wing command; and served as director of civil engineers at Headquarters Air Force before he took the reins of AFCEC in July 2020. 

Gen. Duke Richardson, Air Force Materiel Command commander, officiated the ceremony. He said Wilcox is hard to replace, but he’s confident Allen’s background and experience makes him the right leader for the center.

“He [Allen] understands firsthand what makes Air and Space Forces missions run, he understands Airmen, Guardians and their families, and he understands installation and mission support,” Richardson said. 

AFIMSC, one of six specialized centers assigned to AFMC, provides installation and mission support capabilities to 83 Air and Space Forces installations with an annual budget of $10 billion. The center stood up in April 2015 and has galvanized and standardized the delivery of the more than 150 installation and mission support capabilities that transferred to the center. More than 3,800 military and civilian employees representing 32 Air Force specialties comprise AFIMSC.

The only thing you need to know about AFIMSC is its tagline - Your Success is our Mission – that’s powerful, Richardson said.

Richardson said the Air and Space Forces would not be able to accomplish their mission without the support of AFIMSC. 

“They have a presence at every base, over 100 operating locations, and 10 detachments all making decisions to ensure all the support the bases get is level across the enterprise,” the AFMC commander said. “General Allen has a lot of experience in this mission space, and I’m excited to see how he’s going to make this organization even stronger.”

In his closing remarks at the ceremony, Allen told the AFIMSC team “there are installations and missions that need our support, so let’s get to doing the business of our Air and Space Forces."