388th Fighter Wing at Hill AFB welcomes new commander
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- Incoming commander Col. Charles Fallon addresses the media following the 388th Fighter Wing change of command ceremony at Hill Air Force Base on Monday, June 30, 2025.
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- Service members look on during the 388th Fighter Wing change of command ceremony at Hill Air Force Base on Monday, June 30, 2025.
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- Outgoing commander Col. Michael Gette speaks during the 388th Fighter Wing change of command ceremony at Hill Air Force Base on Monday, June 30, 2025.
HILL AIR FORCE BASE — Service members, elected officials and others gathered in a hangar at Hill Air Force Base on Monday morning as the 388th Fighter Wing’s new commander, Col. Charles Fallon, was introduced at a change of command ceremony.
Fallon is assuming command from Col. Michael Gette, who is transitioning to a role with NATO.
Roughly 2,000 service members and civilian professionals are assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing, which flies 78 F-35A Lightning IIs. The fighter is touted as the U.S. Air Force’s most advanced multirole aircraft.
Fallon said after the ceremony that he expects the best from himself as he steps into the role.
“The mission here at the 388 is to deliver F-35 dominance anytime, anywhere. So, for me, it’s living up to that mission and making sure that I’m able to meet the expectations of what our airmen and, ultimately, what our nation requires of the mission,” Fallon told the Standard-Examiner.
“It’s taken 22-plus years and multiple commands to train me up for this position. Our outstanding airmen that we have here in the 388, I really just need to get out of their way, provide a little bit of guidance … and let them accomplish the mission and do fantastic things.
“That’s what I’m here to do.”
Fallon noted that the 388th Fighter Wing history dates back to World War II.
Prior to his move to Hill AFB, Fallon served as commandant of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. He is also a command pilot with more than 2,800 total flying hours and 616 combat flight hours, primarily spent flying the F-16 fighter jet.
Fallon said that taking command of the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill AFB feels like a “home assignment.”
“This is the type of base that everyone in the Air Force spends their entire careers trying to get to, including the family,” Fallon said. “My wife and my three kids, we’ve been trying for over 20 years to get to this base.”
He cited the support the base receives from the local community as a perk of being at Hill AFB, along with its location in Northern Utah.
“You can mountain bike, you can ski, you can spend time outdoors, you can be healthy,” Fallon said. “That’s just as good as it gets today. You throw in there some family values, and this area is exactly where everyone in the family wants to be stationed.”
