Eglin commander bids farewell after five years of leadership

  • Published
  • By Jasmine Porterfield
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Pride, innovation and ingenuity are some of the characteristics Brig. Gen. David A. Harris uses to define the Airmen he led as the last Air Armament Center vice commander and first 96th Test Wing commander.

During his tenure as the installation commander, the 29-year veteran handled one of the most significant changes in Eglin's history: the merger of the 96th Air Base Wing and 46th Test Wing - two vastly different organizations.

"I knew there was going to be a challenge bringing two wing cultures together," said Harris. "People who were used to sitting in separate camps were interspersed and became friends with one another as they started to understand each other's mission priorities."

Harris credits the wing restructure as his biggest milestone during his past five years here, successfully building one of the largest and diverse wings in the Air Force.

"We formed a unique and very successful wing, with the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. Its significance is bearing fruit and will continue to do so for years to come," said Harris, who leaves to take command of the Air Force Test Center.

Under Harris' leadership, the 96th TW as a whole won countless awards, both at the major command and Department of Defense level.

"We have line, after line, after line of initiatives and great accomplishments as is evident with our vast amount of awards, he said. "What makes me the most proud is I didn't think of a single one - I showed trust in people, and they didn't disappoint."

Some of the most notable accolades include the Air Force Material Command Commander-In-Chief Installation Excellence Award and the Department of Defense Secretary of Defense Environmental Award for Natural Resources Conservation.

"If it took me to make them feel like they could step out and do something to make their visions come true, then I'm proud of that contribution," said Harris, who receives his second star June 4. "To be honest, my biggest contribution was to get out of their way."

As Harris recognizes, taking risk doesn't always guarantee success. After all, that's part of the test and evaluation model the wing supports.

"There's a balance: my trust and willingness to say yes to a new idea coupled with my willingness to take responsibility when things didn't work out," he said. "There's risk in trying out a new thing, and most of the time, it's worth taking to be able to better support the warfighter in the battlefield."

The Eglin memory Harris holds closest to his heart is that of Maj. Garrett Knowlan, the 96th Test Wing's first executive officer, who tragically lost his life in a 2012 training accident. 

"My most unforgettable experience took place in a small Missouri cemetery where I handed a folded flag to [Maj. Kowlan's] wife, with his two little children sitting right next to her and his mother, father, brothers and sisters all around... that was one of the hardest things I've ever done," said Harris. "It will always remind me of the stakes of what we do in the military."

The general sums up his bittersweet time here with one final note: the people are what makes Eglin's mission go.

"You can always trace success - not to funding or equipment, but to people. That's how I will remember them: as the driving life-force of the greatest wing in the Air Force," he said. "I give my heartfelt thanks for the great work, wonderful innovation, caring for people, and pride in craftsmanship that is so rare these days -  we have it all at Eglin."