Change of Command for 904 EAW GSM

17 April 2013

Warrant Officer William Bruce handed over the position of Garrison Sergeant Major (GSM) at 904 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) to Warrant Officer Jake Alpert, on 14 April 2013.

RAF Regiment Warrant Officer Bruce deployed from RAF Leeming, 34 Squadron RAF Regiment, to Kandahar Air Field (KAF) as the GSM of 904 EAW in October 2012 as part of Commander of Kandahar Airfield (COMKAF). He has previously served on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. After a six-month tour, he returns back to RAF Leeming as the Squadron Warrant Officer.

As Warrant Officer Bruce reflected on his tour, he remarked: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as GSM. The position is not without its challenges, however, it is our close working relationship with our coalition and commonwealth partners that allows these challenges to be overcome. From a RAF Regiment perspective, we fit very well into the COMKAF footprint at Kandahar.
RAF Regiment Warrant Officer Alpert deployed from RAF Honington, II Squadron RAF Regiment, to KAF on 6 April 2013 and took over as GSM on 14 April 2013. He has previously served on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. After a six-month tour, he returns back to RAF Honington as the Squadron Warrant Officer.
On the morning of the handover, Warrant Officer Alpert commented: “I feel very privileged to take over as the GSM at 904 EAW. The output provided by 904 EAW as part of COMKAF is of paramount importance as the responsibility for security in Afghanistan transitions to the Afghanistan National Security Forces. I look forward to the tour ahead”.

RAF/MOD Crown Copyright 2013