New center commander takes over Friday Published Aug. 11, 2011 By Lois Walsh Team Eglin Public Affais EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The Air Armament Center changes leadership during a ceremony at the Bayview Club Aug. 19. Maj. Gen. Kenneth A. Merchant will assume command of the center and also become the program executive officer for weapons. Merchant arrives from Scott AFB, Ill., where he was director of Logistics, Headquarters, Air Mobility Command. Gen. Donald Hoffman, Air Force Materiel Command commander, will officiate the ceremony where Maj. Gen. CR Davis will say his farewells before moving on to command the Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. Merchant is no stranger to Eglin, having served from 1986 to 1988 as program manager, Direct Airfield Attack Combined Munition, executive officer to the Deputy for Research, Development, and Acquisition and special programs liaison for the Armament Division. He returned to Eglin in 2000 to serve as the Director, Area Attack Weapons System Program Office.