More than a month into Gen. Darren McDew’s job as commander of Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base, the pomp and circumstance of the Change of Command ceremony is a distant memory.
Gone are the crowds of cheering dignitaries, airmen and family. The colorful flags, brandished with precision, have been put away. The notes from the ceremonial melody “Ruffles and Flourishes” have faded.
Now he faces the responsibility for leading more than 130,000 active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve personnel and civilians. Their collective responsibility is to ensure that global cargo and passenger deliveries are successful and that air refueling, aeromedical evacuations and contingency response flights are effective.
“I feel humbled,” the general said. “At the start of my career, I could never have dreamt of an opportunity like this, either personally or professionally.”
McDew previously held the position of commander of the 18th Air Force, which is also located at Scott Air Force Base, near Belleville, Illinois.
“I’ll be working on a broader stage with a focus on different issues, but the transition will be smooth,” McDew said.
He has served in several leadership positions in the past and will leverage those experiences in the new post he assumed from Gen. Paul Selva on May 5. Selva now leads U.S. Transportation Command, also located at Scott Air Force Base.
“For more than 25 years, I have personally known Darren to be a leader whose focus on dignity and respect for all is truly an inspiration,” Selva told The American. “He is exactly the right leader, at the exactly the right time, to empower the men and women under his command to continue their vital contributions to our nation’s security.”
“Throughout my career I’ve had supervisors who’ve given me the opportunities to grow as a person and a leader,” McDew said. “Gen. Selva is definitely one of those. We share a bond of trust that will continue as he moves into his new job, and I move into mine.”
Asked about one goal he would like to accomplish within his first three months on the job, McDew didn’t speak of aircraft or flight plans, but people.
“Simple: I want every airman in our command to understand how much I believe in them, trust them, and count on them to lead,” McDew said. “Their service is the greatest gift any person can give to their nation. At the same time, that service is not easy. In a time of uncertainty and great challenges for America and our Air Force, we need airmen who are not timid, but who will lead us boldly into the future.”
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsch III lauded McDew during the Change of Command ceremony.
“He was the No. 1 squadron commander out of 25 at the wing at Charleston, he was the No. 1 colonel at McChord Air Force Base, and the No. 1 of seven ops group commanders in the numbered Air Force as a group commander,” Welsch said of McDew.
“Later he was the No. 1 wing commander in 15th Air Force, the No. 1 brigadier general in 18th Air Force – the list just goes on, and on, and on – always No. 1.”
Ron Moore, who directs the Pre-College Initiative for the St. Louis Alumni chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), sees McDew as No. 1 too.
“We actually nominated him for NSBE’s Lifetime Achievement in Government Award, which he won and accepted at our national convention in Nashville, Tennessee,” Moore said.
McDew is a member of the St. Louis Alumni chapter of NSBE. He works with the Pre-College Initiative, in which k-12 students are encouraged to attend college and pursue technical degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“Gen. McDew takes time out of his busy schedule to help develop the next generation of professional engineers,” Moore said, “and that is impressive.”
McDew earned a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering and understands the need for youth to learn about STEM.
“STEM education is incredibly important for America and the world,” McDew said. “In a time when we face incredibly complex problems, the future of mankind depends on bright, passionate young people who have the education and drive to solve them. Any efforts that support STEM education have huge implications for our collective future. That’s why it requires a commitment from all of us to support young people seeking education.”
Whether in his official role as commander or volunteering with area youth, McDew is dedicated to building confidence in others.
“Throughout my career and life, I have been fortunate to have people who were willing to invest in me,” McDew said. “When I needed stretching, they put me in positions that stretched me. When I faced doubt, they showed me the possibilities for success that lay before me. That continues even until today, and it is a role that I feel obligated to fulfill for others.”
