WILLEMSTAD, Curacao:--- Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Beers relinquished command of the United States Forward Operating Locations (USFOL) in Curacao and Aruba to Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Reny today. The Change of Command is a time-honored military tradition which symbolizes the continuation of leadership and unit identity, despite the change in individual authority. It also allows other airmen to personally witness the command authority passing from one officer to another. Passing the ceremonial flag from the old commander to the new commander physically represents this transfer.
Commander Beers distinguished himself with outstanding service to the United States as Commander, Detachment 2, 612th Theater Operation Group, Headquarters Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Forward Operating Locations Curacao and Aruba. During this period, Commander Beers expertly directed over 110 aircraft and 1900 joint and multinational personnel supporting the United States' Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force-South's counter-transnational organized crime operations, resulting in 539 counter-drug missions totaling 3,926 flight hours.
He coordinated with two heads of state, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Department of State in a regional effort yielding 349 arrests and the seizure of 140 metric tons in illegal narcotics worth over US $2.6 billion. Additionally, Commander Beers implemented over US $6.4 million in base infrastructure projects in line with directives from the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Staff, including several force protection and energy saving initiatives which enhanced access control point security and will significantly reduce energy consumption. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Commander Beers reflect great credit upon him and the United States Air Force. Commander Beers received a Meritorious Service Medal First Oak Leaf Cluster for his accomplishments.
Lieutenant Colonel Reny received his commission in 1995 through the prestigious United States Air Force Academy. Colonel Reny has served in various wing, squadron, and air force staff assignments prior to taking command in Curacao and Aruba. (full bio attached)
The U.S. FOL, 429th Expeditionary Operations Squadron, supports multi-national aircraft operations that conduct detection, monitoring and tracking missions supporting counter-drug and counter-smuggling efforts in the region. U.S. FOL Curaçao was formed as a part of a
multi-lateral agreement between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States, whereby aircraft and crews deploy to the U.S. FOL on a temporary basis to conduct operations.