Air Force Commander at Kunsan Air Base Stepping Down and Retiring After Just 5 Months on Job
The commander of the Air Force's 8th Fighter Wing out of Kunsan Air Base in South Korea, one of the service's most storied units, is stepping down from his job and retiring from military service after just five months in the role.
Col. Timothy Murphy will leave his role as commander next week and retire on Feb. 1, 2024.
"The decision to retire earlier than planned was a personal one made solely due to family reasons," the fighter wing said in an Oct. 30 press release.
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Murphy, who has been in the service for 22 years, was commissioned as an officer in 2001 following his graduation from the Air Force Academy. He took the reins of the 8th Fighter Wing, known by the “Wolf Pack” nickname, on May 25.
"I did not make this decision lightly, but know it is the best choice for the well-being of my family and the 8th Fighter Wing," Murphy said in the press release. "I want to thank the Wolf Pack community for respecting our privacy and being so understanding as we transition to retirement."
Prior to his role with the 8th Fighter Wing, he was vice commander of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan.
Murphy is an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot with more than 2,000 flight hours, according to his service biography. He hit that milestone on Oct. 18.
"We are thankful for Colonel Murphy's service and leadership, not only here in the Republic of Korea, but throughout his entire distinguished career," Lt. Gen. Scott Pleus, Seventh Air Force commander, said in the press release.
The 8th Fighter Wing has undergone frequent trainings and exercises since the Department of Defense highlighted China as a key competitor in the National Defense Strategy and as tensions rise in the region.
On Oct. 22, the U.S., Japan and the Republic of Korea conducted a joint exercise in which F-16s from 8th Fighter Wing flew alongside Japanese F-2s and Korean Air Force F-15Ks.
Kadena saw a shift in aircraft starting early this year after the Pentagon announced it was pulling the base's older F-15 Eagles in an effort to bring more modern aircraft to the Pacific. Since then, rotational and more modern fighter jets such as the F-22 Raptor and F-16 have been shuffling through the base.
Col. Matthew C. Gaetke, currently the 607th Air Operations Center commander, has been announced as Murphy's replacement, and an assumption of command ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 8.
Murphy's announcement that he is stepping down of his own volition comes amid a slew of top leadership shake-ups across the Air Force for disciplinary reasons.
Last month, a hearing was announced to determine whether Maj. Gen. Phillip A. Stewart, a two-star general who was relieved from command of the 19th Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio in Texas in May, will face charges of sexual assault, extramarital sexual conduct, dereliction of duty and conduct unbecoming.
In September, Lt. Col. Brian Milner, the commander of an Air Force squadron at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, was fired, just two months into his new role, after officials lost faith in his leadership.
-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at thomas.novelly@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomNovelly.
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