WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- The National Air and Space Intelligence Center welcomed Col. Maurizio D. Calabrese as its new commander during an assumption of command ceremony here, June 9.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 response, Center leaders limited in-person attendance and instead streamed the ceremony live from the NASIC Forum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
“Thank you so much for this day and making it happen. I am sad about Brigadier Gen. Select [Parker] Wright not being here to pass the guidon between us,” said Calabrese.
NASIC bid farewell last month to Wright, who commanded the Center from June 2018 to May 2020. Wright now serves on the Air Staff as Director of ISR Operations.
"He was a classmate of mine and the person who set NASIC up for me to walk in here with a fantastic team, flight plan and a way forward,” Calabrese continued.
Lt. Gen. Mary O’Brien, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Cyber Effects Operations, officiated the assumption ceremony remotely from Washington D.C.
“I’m honored to introduce the next commander of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center to you,” said O’Brien. “Mo’s impressive resume includes a wealth of experience in analysis, signals intelligence, ISR operations and collection management.”
“It’s no exaggeration to say that Col. Calabrese is the perfect choice to lead NASIC at this pivotal moment. We’re faced with challenges that will require steadfast, visionary leadership as the NASIC workforce adapts to meet new requirements, with new organizations, supporting a new service, and new construction.”
After her remarks, O’Brien called for the narrator to publish the orders as Calabrese officially took command of NASIC. Instead of the typical passing of the guidon, the inbound NASIC Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Kimberly Pollard, released the Center's flag to mark the assumption.
Calabrese ended the ceremony by making a pledge to the military, civilians and contractors at NASIC.
“To all those that are part of NASIC, I will commit to you three things and I ask that you hold me to it,” he said. “I will always be myself, I'll take care of you and your family and lastly I will try to get to yes to solve your problem.”
“I’m here to take care of you and we’ll take care of the mission. It’s going to be an amazing journey, and thank you so much for welcoming me to the greatest intelligence center in the world,” he continued.
Calabrese comes to NASIC after serving as commander of the 544th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
A 1996 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Calabrese is a career intelligence officer and has commanded ISR operations at the squadron and group levels, supporting U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Central Command and U.S. Space Command missions.