HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- The 419th Maintenance Group welcomed Col. Aaron Milner as he assumed command during a ceremony here Sept. 12, 2021.
Milner joined the Air Force in 2000, serving as an active-duty maintenance officer before switching to the Reserve in 2008. Prior to joining the 419th, Milner was the deputy group commander for maintenance with the 477th Fighter Group at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
“This is something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” Milner said. “When this job appeared, the stars were aligned and this was great news for my family.”
During his time as commander, Milner’s focus is to ensure his squadrons are trained and paid, improve communication between reservists and their active-duty counterparts, and raise the next generation of leaders in the Air Force.
“The 419th has an amazing reputation. In a ballgame when you’re down, you call on your most experienced people, which is going to be us,” Milner said. “I want people to have pride in the patch they wear and what they do. We’re not just people, we’re talent.”
The 419th MXG is home to roughly 500 personnel who are trained in areas of on-and-off aircraft maintenance, munitions and armament, and in-shop repair of equipment and accessories for the F-35A Lightning II aircraft.