AFCEE deputy director set to retire after 30 years of military service

  • Published
  • By Jennifer Schneider
  • AFCEE Public Affairs
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment's Deputy Director Col. Wilfred Cassidy retires April 8 following 30 years of military service.

The retirement ceremony, presided by The Air Force Civil Engineer Maj. Gen. Timothy A. Byers, will be held at 10 a.m. at the Lackland Gateway Club, and be followed by a luncheon.

Colonel Cassidy said he never expected to stay in the Air Force for 30 years.

"I decided I would stay in as long as I was still having fun," Colonel Cassidy said. "I hit 30 years and was still having fun. The outstanding quality and attitudes of the people I've worked with have made the time fly by. After three squadron commands and commanding a mission support group I'm still amazed at what a team can accomplished when they work together and commit to a mission."

Prior to joining AFCEE in 2009, Colonel Cassidy served as commander of the 820th RED HORSE Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev., and led the unit on two deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He has held civil engineering positions around the world, with assignments throughout the United States as well as in Guam, Korea, the United Kingdom and Southwest Asia.

He said a couple of his memorable assignments include serving at the 819th RED HORSE Squadron at Royal Air Force Wethersfield, England, and at the 42nd Civil Engineer Squadron at the former Loring AFB, Maine.

"While part of the RED HORSE squadron, I had the opportunity for three and a half years to travel Europe," Colonel Cassidy said. "I designed and built a variety of things from runways to parking lots to buildings."

His assignment with the 42nd CES at Loring took him closer to home and the farm he grew up on in northern Maine.

"I came to my hometown to close the base (Loring AFB)," he said. "There was a flood that year. As commander I was able to support the victims with vacant houses on base and provide labor to help the town recover."

While only being with AFCEE for about a year-and-a-half, he has been involved in many changes in the organization. Since 2009, the agency completed a physical move across town from its former home at Brooks City-Base to Lackland AFB, Texas, and transitioned to a new director in late 2010. Also over the past year, the agency's contracting division separated from AFCEE, realigning as the 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron under the Air Force Materiel Command's new Enterprise Sourcing Group.

Upon retirement, Colonel Cassidy said he plans to stay in the San Antonio area and take some time off for vacationing with his wife and son, and tending to some chores around their home. However, he said it won't be long before he rejoins the workforce and is looking forward to the possibility of working in the private sector.