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Wing commander promoted to brigadier general

By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor, 31st Fighter Wing public affairs / Published September 18, 2009

Brig. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., 31st Fighter Wing commander's wife (left) and mother (right) pin on his first star following the orders being published for his promotion Sept. 18, 2009, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany presided over the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Patrick Dixon)
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Brig. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., 31st Fighter Wing commander's wife (left) and mother (right) pin on his first star following the orders being published for his promotion Sept. 18, 2009, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany presided over the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Patrick Dixon)

Brig. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., 31st Fighter Wing commander's family smile back at their son, husband and father as he made comments to them about their unwavering love and support following his promotion Sept. 18, 2009 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany presided over the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Patrick Dixon)
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Brig. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., 31st Fighter Wing commander's family smile back at their son, husband and father as he made comments to them about their unwavering love and support following his promotion Sept. 18, 2009 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany presided over the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Patrick Dixon)

Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany (back left) and Brig. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., 31st Fighter Wing commander look on as a member of the base honor guard detail unfurls the one-star flag during his promotion ceremony Sept. 18, 2009 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. General Gorenc presided over the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Patrick Dixon)
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Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany (back left) and Brig. Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., 31st Fighter Wing commander look on as a member of the base honor guard detail unfurls the one-star flag during his promotion ceremony Sept. 18, 2009 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. General Gorenc presided over the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Patrick Dixon)

Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany addresses those who attended Col. Charles Q. Brown Jr., 31st Fighter Wing commander’s promotion ceremony Sept. 18, 2009 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. General Gorenc spoke to the distinguished visitors and base personnel in attendance about Colonel Brown and his career path leading up to his selection for and promotion to the rank of brigadier general. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Patrick Dixon)
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Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany addresses those who attended Col. Charles Q. Brown Jr., 31st Fighter Wing commander’s promotion ceremony Sept. 18, 2009 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. General Gorenc spoke to the distinguished visitors and base personnel in attendance about Colonel Brown and his career path leading up to his selection for and promotion to the rank of brigadier general. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Patrick Dixon)

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AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy -- Colonel Charles Q. Brown Jr., 31st Fighter Wing commander, pinned on his first star during a promotion ceremony here Sept. 18, 2009.

Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, 3rd Air Force commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany presided over the ceremony. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced Brig. Gen. Brown's initial nomination by President Barack Obama on May 15. Thirty-seven other Air Force colonels were also nominated.

General Brown arrived at Aviano and took command of the 31st FW in June. The general commands the only permanently assigned U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft wing in NATO's Southern Region. The wing conducts and supports air combat operations, and maintains munitions for NATO and has approximately 4,200 active-duty military members, nearly 300 U.S. civilians and 600 Italian civilian employees. The wing's mission is driven by two combat-ready F-16C fighter squadrons and an air control squadron.