7/25/2007 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico -- The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center held an assumption of command ceremony July 12 at Hardin Field here.
Maj. Gen. Stephen T. Sargeant assumed command of the center in a ceremony presided by Lt. Gen. Arthur J. Lichte, assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force.

General Sargeant comes to AFOTEC from Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea, where he served as the deputy chief of staff for the United Nations Command and U.S. Forces Korea. He also served as the U.S. member of the U.N. Command Military Armistice Commission where he lead general officer talks between the U.N. Command and North Korean Army, interacted with United Nations Command liaison groups from 19 nations, and supervised U.N. Command (Rear) Headquarters at Camp Zama, Japan.

AFOTEC is headquartered here and reports directly to the chief of staff of the Air Force. It is the Air Force's independent test agency responsible for testing, evaluating and reporting results on new systems being developed. AFOTEC conducts testing on more than 250 major programs at more than 20 different detachments and operating locations around the country.

AFOTEC's mission is to test and evaluate new weapon systems in realistic battlespace environments to provide decision makers accurate, balanced, and complete assessments of mission capability.

Source: USAF/Kirtland AFB Press Release by Katherine Gandara