- Veteran Air Force officer Col. Eric Quidley takes command of the 75th Air Base Wing at Hill Air Force Base.
- Quidley replaces Col. Daniel Cornelius, who has been appointed to a leadership position at the Pentagon.
- Hill Air Force Base remains one of Utah's largest workplaces — employing thousands of military personnel and civilians.
Just moments after assuming command of the 75th Air Base Wing Monday at Hill Air Force Base, Col. Eric Quidley was already eager to build on the momentum already existing at one of Utah’s largest employers.
“I was happy to be hired for this position and Hill has a reputation for just being awesome … so it’s a dream of mine to come to Hill and join this great mission,” said Quidley.
A veteran officer with almost 25 years in uniform, Quidley comes to HAFB after serving as commander of the 49th Mission Support Group at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. He replaces Air Force Col. Daniel Cornelius, who is leaving Utah for a Pentagon assignment.
The wing’s new leader can count off, rapid-fire, the nation-level missions happening at HAFB: A pair of fighter wings. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center. The Ogden Air Logistics Complex.
“What Hill Air Force Base does for the nation and national air priorities is unprecedented,” he said.
Quidley also knows well the base’s deep historical and economic connection to the Beehive State — and he’s anxious to fortify relationships with his new neighbors.
“My plan is to get out as fast as I can with the community and just keep building those relationships with the local mayors and with the local districts to try and figure out how the community and the base can coexist and improve qualities all over,” he said.
The air base wing provides installation support for the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, two fighter wings, and more than 50 other associate units, totaling 27,000 workers consisting of active duty, civilian and contractor personnel, according to HAFB.
Additionally, it directly supports Air Expeditionary Forces operations. The 75th Air Base Wing provides base operating support for the 1.1-million-acre Utah Test and Training Range.
Change of command: A centuries-old military tradition
A sizable combination of uniformed Air Force personnel, local government leaders and civilians gathered Monday for the change of command ceremony at the Hill Aerospace Museum.
A change of command ceremony is a centuries-old tradition that has remained largely unchanged throughout the history of warfare, explained Air Force Lt. Gen. Jennifer Hammerstedt, who presided over Monday’s event.
“Your attendance here to watch a simple but symbolic transfer of military command is an important component of our military good order and discipline,” said Hammerstedt. “It shows our troops the transition of command.”
Hammerstedt, who commands the Air Force Sustainment Center at Oklahoma’s Tinker Air Force Base, called HAFB a “national treasure.”
“For almost 90 years, Hill Air Force Base has unfailingly delivered combat-power reach and vigilance for America through the unwavering patriotism of the people who serve here. … Our nation’s security depends on what happens here each and every day, right here in Utah.”
Hammerstedt applauded Cornelius and his wife, Joy Cornelius, by listing off many of the accomplishments they achieved in support of the base’s multifaceted military mission — while also looking out for HAFB airmen and their families.
Now it’s time, she added, for Quidley to continue to move HAFB forward. “The great thing about our United States Air Force is there’s (always) another great leader queuing to step in, and we’re so blessed today to have Col. Eric Quidley and the Quidley family joining the team.”
‘Our nation — and our Air Force — can count on us’
Addressing the wing for the final time as its commander, Cornelius said his thoughts Monday returned to the 2024 change of command ceremony when he assumed leadership of HAFB’s 75th Air Base Wing.
“I was a little overwhelmed to be in this venue looking out at a couple hundred strangers,” he recalled. “Now, two years later, this awesome venue feels like home.”
Cornelius said the 75th Air Base Wing has “moved out aggressively but deliberately” on multiple fronts.
“I’m extremely proud of all that we accomplished as a team,” he said. “You demonstrated time and again expertise at the highest level during both real-world operations and during our recent combat readiness inspection — while also enabling our mission partners to do the same.
“Simply put, you proved that our nation and our Air Force can count on us.”
In his remarks Monday, Quidley thanked Cornelius for his assistance during the leadership transition. “You have led this wing over the last few years and have not missed a beat. You have made and motivated this team and put it on a solid path.”
The best military installations are reflections of their communities, noted Quidley — calling it a privilege to be an integral element of northern Utah.
“I look forward to serving with you and to continue building on these relationships as we support the installation’s unique capabilities to sustain and project combat power for this great nation.”
Quidley added he’s joining a “remarkable team” at HAFB. “I’m extremely excited to finally be a part of it.
“As we work together in the next few years, I look forward to learning from you and leveraging our collective experience, shoulder-to-shoulder, as we lean into the future, generate readiness, and ensure our mission partners’ success.”