ORLANDO, Fla. -- U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jonathan I. Markley takes command of the 351st Recruiting Squadron, headquartered at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Marietta, Georgia, during a Change of Command ceremony, June 4, 2026, in Orlando, Florida.
U.S. Air Force Col. Sean "Metro" Fellows, commander of the 367th Recruiting Group, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, presided over the ceremony and transferred command of the squadron to Markley.
The 351 RCS is responsible for recruiting Air Force Reserve Citizen Airmen across 400,000 square miles. This includes North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and parts of Mississippi and Louisiana, including Puerto Rico. Additionally, the 351 RCS is responsible for In-Service Reserve recruiting efforts in Europe (Aviano Air Base, Italy, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, RAF Mildenhall, England, Ramstein AB, Germany, and Spangdahlem AB, Germany). The unit oversees 84 military and 9 civilian personnel, 59 recruiting offices, and 14 Military Entrance Processing Stations.
Fellows praised the squadron’s recruiting force and the impact its members have on the Air Force Reserve mission.
“It is not lost on me that we are hosting this ceremony in a city that dares to dream at scale,” said Fellows.
He reflected that Walt Disney stood on this land when nothing was here, but swamp and possibility, seeing what no one else could, he famously remarked.
“All of our dreams can come true,” said Fellows. “If we have the courage to pursue them. Walt Disney didn't build an attraction; he built an experience that changed how the world understands imagination--that's Spirit. The audacity of seeing what isn't there yet, and forging it anyway.”
Fellows highlighted the 351 RCS’s area of responsibility, from the youthful imagination of Orlando to the Gateway to Space, with daring astronauts along the coast. He spoke of leadership and character.
“That is the character of those who serve, and that is the explosive energy of the Beasts from the East,” said Fellows. “Building things that are important. Launching what others said was impossible. And today we pass forward a recruiting force, generating a mission worthy of both.”
Before turning to Markley, Fellows honored the record built under outgoing 351 RCS commander, Lt. Col. Micah Bluto, who has since moved into a role as 367 RCG deputy commander to continue supporting the recruiting enterprise.
“Lt. Col. Bluto is a testament to the culture that this team built a culture of accountability, trust, and relentless mission focus,” said Fellows.
The numbers underscore his point. Under Bluto’s command, the 351 RCS recorded 130% of its 2025 fiscal year goal at 1849 accessions, and it didn't stop there.
When the 350th Recruiting Squadron faced a leadership crisis. When those Airmen needed someone to step into the breach without hesitation, she took command of both squadrons and simultaneously. 191 professionals, 123 geographically separated offices, two missions, one commander, and not for a moment did that mission fall.
“Mission numbers matter, but they do not tell the whole story,” said Bluto. “Character, commitment, and resilience matter… what I’m most proud of is the culture of support, trust, and self-value that we have built.”
During Markley’s remarks, he reflected on his perception of leadership and challenged the 351 RCS.
“A leader who has nothing to prove and yet everything to prove: one is secure enough to welcome new ideas and admit mistakes, and one still knows they must earn trust, respect, and loyalty of their people daily,” said Markley. “Leaders must prove they deserve that. I challenge you all to be leaders with nothing and yet everything to prove.”
To learn more about serving in the Air Force, Air National Guard or Air Force Reserve, go to www.airforce.com/find-a-recruiter or download the AIM HIGH app to speak directly with a recruiter.