New Commander for 339th Flight Test Squadron

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia – The 339th Flight Test Squadron stationed at Robins Air Force Base has a new commander.

During a change of command ceremony held at the Museum of Aviation, Lieutenant Colonel Dante Badia took over for outgoing Lieutenant Colonel John Nowak.

Badia will now be in charge of the squadron whose main task is to perform flight test operations on various aircraft, including F-15s, C-130s, and C-5 cargo planes.

The new squadron commander says he hopes to continue the long-standing tradition of the 339th, “I hope to keep up with that great tradition. It goes all the way back to World War II, this squadron was the squadron that shot down Yamamoto’s plane in the Pacific.”

Badia went on to praise his predecessor for doing a wonderful job in keeping with the 339th’s legacy.

Lt. Col. Nowak has led the 339th since 2009.

Lt. Col. Badia, an Air Force Academy graduate, is a seasoned pilot with more than 2600 flying hours, and has served as a mission commander in several military operations, including Operation Iraqi Freedom.