MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --
U.S. Air Force Col. Paul Davidson relinquished command of the 35th Fighter Wing (FW) to Col. Oliver Lause during the wing change of command ceremony at Misawa Air Base, July 13, 2026.
Lt. Gen. Joel Carey, Fifth Air Force commander, presided over the ceremony.
Davidson has served as commander of the 35th Fighter Wing since July 2024. During his tenure, he led the Airmen of the 35th FW in executing the wing’s mission to protect American interests, defend Japan alongside the U.S.-Japan Alliance, and maintain a credible deterrent in the Indo-Pacific. Under his leadership, the wing advanced operational readiness through major exercises and continued strengthening interoperability with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and regional allies and partners while supporting the introduction of the F-35A Lightning II to the 35th FW.
During the ceremony, Davidson reflected on his time leading the Wild Weasels.
"To the Wild Weasels of the 35th Fighter Wing, it has been the honor of my career to serve as your commander,” said Davidson. “As I leave, I am filled with pride for what you have done and optimism for the future. The arrival of the F-35 was not the finish line; it was the starting pistol for the next race. The future of this wing is bright because of you."
Following his departure from Misawa Air Base, Davidson will assume the role of the Senior Executive Officer to the Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force.
Prior to assuming command of the 35th Fighter Wing, Lause was the commander of the 56th Operations Group at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. He led the Air Force's largest operations group, overseeing 13 squadrons and more than 170 F-35 and F-16 aircraft while training fighter pilots, intelligence professionals and command and control warfighters.
After assuming command, Lause addressed the audience and outlined his priorities for the wing as it continues to strengthen combat readiness, reinforce the U.S.-Japan Alliance, and provide combat airpower from northern Japan.
"We're going to train and exercise with a laser focus on our readiness and resilience to defend this base and this region, project combat power, and sustain our mission,”said Lause. “And the latter isn't just infrastructure; it's sustaining the most important weapon systems of all—our Airmen, Guardians, mission partners and our families."
The change of command ceremony is a long-standing military tradition that formally transfers command authority and responsibility from one commander to another while reaffirming the wing’s continued commitment to accomplishing its mission.
The Airmen, families and mission partners of the 35th Fighter Wing bid Davidson and his family farewell while welcoming Lause and his family to Team Misawa.