AEDC holds change of command ceremony

  • Published
  • By Philip Lorenz III
  • AEDC/PA
Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. --  The U.S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) held a change of command ceremony July 13. 

Col. Michael Panarisi assumed command from Col. Art Huber in a formal ceremony presided over by Gen. Donald Hoffman, commander of the Air Force Materiel Command, Wright Patterson, Air Force Base (AFB), Ohio. 

Arnold's squadron commanders, Aerospace Testing Alliance's (ATA) leadership, active-duty personnel, contractors, U.S. Congressman Lincoln Davis, State Senator Eric Stewart, community leaders, family and special guests attended the event welcoming AEDC's 26th commander, Colonel Panarisi, and his family to the base and local area. 

After acknowledging all of those who were attending the Change of Command ceremony, Colonel Huber said, "If you think this day is about individuals; let me set you straight right now. This is a day about you, the men and women of the Arnold Engineering Development Center, because without you there would be no reason to hold a change of command. There would be no reason for this world-class complex to exist. 

"As I look back over the two-and-a-half years that I've had the great honor and privilege and fortune to be your commander, I am amazed at how much we accomplished."
Colonel Huber said AEDC has strengthened its partnerships with "NASA, the Missile Defense Agency, our elected leaders and others." 

He attributed the team effort undertaken during his time at Arnold to the success in bringing new capabilities to AEDC, including the Space Threat Assessment Testbed (STAT), which will be housed in Building 1088. 

"[We undertook and completed] the turbine engine dry air capability renovation that secured and expanded our customer base for many years to come," he continued. "We executed significant firsts, such as reactivating the world's largest wind tunnel at the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex, and ran a scramjet engine under hypersonic conditions in our Aerodynamic and Propulsion Test Unit. 

"We cleaned up our roadways, delisted a threatened species, renovated worker break areas and improved recreational services and we started on a journey revitalizing the technical excellence of our work force." 

He concluded by saying, "This is but a sampling, but it is indicative of the caliber of the people who work here at Arnold. For these and all the things you have done working together as a superb team, I thank you from the bottom of my heart." 

Colonel Panarisi, upon assuming command, said "I take this responsibility very seriously, and first and foremost, to ensure the safety, security and well-being of team Arnold." 

He said his philosophy is straight forward. 

"You take care of your people, and they will take care of the mission," he said.
Colonel Panarisi pledged that he will do his best "to run through, around and over obstacles" to allow the talented mix of professionals at Arnold to accomplish the mission with "ingenuity" in a world-class complex of ground testing facilities "with a history that you all have made possible and that is truly mind boggling." 

Prior to assuming command of AEDC, Colonel Panarisi was the commander of the 412th Operations Group at Edwards AFB, Calif. 

Career highlights include deployments as a weapons systems officer on board the F-111F Aardvark in support of Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort. Colonel Panarisi also took part in Provide Comfort, Northern Watch, Deny Flight and Deliberate Force in the F-15E Strike Eagle. In addition, the colonel said he was proud to play a role in the U.S. Air Forces in Europe's (Stuttgart, Germany) Strategy Division helping with early planning for Enduring Freedom and providing briefs to the Secretary of Defense and Vice President of the United States. 

Colonel Panarisi also did two tours as an F-111F and F-15E Instructor Weapons Systems Office at Royal Air Force Base, Lakenheath, United Kingdom. 

Among other awards, the colonel has earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. 

He is married to the former Rebecca Sue Smith of Oak Forest, Ill. They have a son and a daughter. 

As commander of AEDC, Col. Panarisi oversees the largest and most advanced complex of flight simulation test facilities in the world. The center is comprised of 58 aerospace test facilities located at Arnold AFB, as well as two geographically separated units, the Hypervelocity Tunnel 9 in White Oak, Md., and the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex at Moffett Field, Calif.