Altus AFB welcomes new commander

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla._Altus Air Force Base welcomed its new commander and said goodbye to the former Friday morning.

Colonel Todd Hohn has a distinctive resume that includes deployments in support of Operation Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom. Hohn was promoted to the rank of colonel in October 2013.

Colonel Todd Hohn said they will not be putting any pressure on themselves in terms of raising the bar of excellence. He says the only pressure he is feeling is to take care of his new family.

At about 10:12 a.m., Colonel Todd Hohn officially became the commander of the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus Air Force Base. He says his new job is unmatched.

"I'm kind of the cheerleader. I get to go out there and show the great work the men and women of Altus Air Force Base do every day. And I get to go out there with the community and get a chance to interact. How would I describe this? This is the best job I will have in the Air Force," said Col. Hohn.

Colonel Hohn has more than 4,200 hours of experience in various Air Force aircraft. His previous stops include Alabama, New Jersey, Kansas, Florida, and most recently, the Pentagon. He says he is thrilled to be in Oklahoma.

"This is the crown jewel of an Air Force career. It doesn't get any better than this, it doesn't get any better than this location. At my stage in my Air Force career, I don't get to pick where and when I go, but had I had a choice, this would have been the first place," said Col. Hohn.

Colonel Hohn says as he looked out into the crowd and saluted the unit, he was speechless.

"This place is unrivaled. There is no other community support, there is no other relationship with the town of Altus and the 97th Air Mobility Wing. That feeling was nearly indescribable. I would love for each and every person to be in my shoes for those few minutes. That was an amazing event," said Col. Hohn.

Colonel Hohn told us he hopes to continue to add a great attitude and enthusiasm to the base. Colonel Hohn is set to be in command until June of 2017.