Col. Eric Bissonette takes command of Laughlin's 47th Flying Training Wing

Col. Eric Bissonette stepped into command of Laughlin Air Force Base’s 47th Flying Training Wing with the wing’s core mission unchanged, but with one of Val Verde County’s most important institutions now under new leadership.

At the May 28 change of command ceremony, Maj. Gen. Roy Collins, deputy commander of Air Education and Training Command, passed the wing guidon and presented Col. Tyler Ellison with the Legion of Merit as Ellison closed out a tenure marked by more than 71,000 sorties and the production of more than 700 combat-ready pilots. Bissonette then delivered his first salute as commander and addressed the wing after taking charge.

The handoff matters far beyond the ceremony itself. The 47th Flying Training Wing runs specialized undergraduate pilot training for the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and allied air forces, using the T-6 Texan II, T-38 Talon and T-1A aircraft. At Laughlin, the wing’s tempo drives how many students move through the pipeline, how smoothly maintenance and support operations function, and how stable the base’s employment footprint remains in Del Rio and across Val Verde County.

Official base materials say the wing has been active at Laughlin since Sept. 1, 1972, and has trained more than 15,000 pilots for the United States and its allies. The wing’s assigned aircraft, support equipment and facilities are worth more than $1.3 billion, underscoring how much operational continuity matters when the command changes hands.

Laughlin itself has deep regional roots. Texas Comptroller background material says the base was established in 1941 near Del Rio and identifies the 47th Flying Training Wing as an undergraduate pilot training school. Military installation materials describe the wing’s mission as developing combat-ready airmen, leaders and pilots through safe, disciplined flying training and mission assurance.

That mission also ties the installation to the county’s day-to-day planning. The Laughlin Air Force Base Compatible Use Study is a collaborative effort sponsored by Val Verde County with participation from Laughlin and surrounding communities, reflecting the ongoing need to coordinate on growth, land use and compatibility issues around the base. For Del Rio and Val Verde County, Bissonette’s arrival signals continuity in the training mission, but also a new leadership style at one of the area’s most significant employers.