(From left) Cols. Lloyd Sturges, Frederick Herbert, Karen Payne, James Palmer and Peter Jensen.
Col. Peter Jensen
Commander
Connecticut Wing
CONNECTICUT – Connecticut Wing members in the right place at the right time during the wing’s annual conference caught a rare sight – an unbroken line of five wing commanders, their combined tenure spanning 16 years.
Gathering for a photo were Cols. Lloyd Sturges, commander from 1993-1997; Frederick Herbert, 1997-1999; Karen Payne, 1999-2003; James Palmer (2003-2006); and Peter Jensen, who has held the wing’s top rank since succeeding Palmer.
During the five commanders’ combined tenures, the wing:
- Added three squadrons – the 143rd Composite, the Northwestern Hills Composite and the New Fairfield Flight.
- Grew from 500 to 700 members.
- Secured a large increase in the state legislative appropriation.
- Established close cooperative ties with the National Guard.
- Became fully integrated with the state's interagency communications system.
- Inaugurated two state-funded missions -- the ETHOS (Eyes of the Home Skies) patrol for critical infrastructure, as well as the Long Island Sound Patrol.
