New vice commander at Shaw Published July 21, 2006 By Tarsha Storey 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- A new vice commander is hanging his hat in the 20th Fighter Wing. Col. Mike Byrne came to the 20th FW from the 609th Combat Operations Squadron, U.S. Central Command Air Forces where he served as commander. Col. Byrne was born in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. When he was five years old, his family moved to Fostoria, Ohio. When he was a child, he enjoyed visiting the Ft. Lauderdale International Airport to watch the planes fly. At the age of nine, he took his first plane ride and by age 17, he had his pilot’s license. Because of his father’s career as a hospital administrator, Col. Byrne worked at a hospital throughout his high school and college years. As a result, he was considering a career in the medical field until his love for flight drew him to the Reserve Officers Training Corps. Col. Byrne graduated from the ROTC program at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio, and received his Air Force commission in 1984. It was in Ohio that Col. Byrne said he met his wife, Carol. They have two children, Julie and Chris. The colonel has more than 3,500 flying hours and has flown the F-16 (blocks 25, 30 and 50), the AT-38B, the F-15C and the B-52G. He has served in various bomber, fighter, training and staff assignments around the world to include 609th Combat Operation Squadron commander, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds advance pilot, narrator and operations officer and the executive officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff of the United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command of the United States Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, Republic of Korea. Col. Byrne said while serving with the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, Multi National Security Transition Command Iraq, Camp Phoenix, Bagdad, Iraq, was his most difficult assignment, it was also the most satisfying because everything his group did directly related to Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terror. During his time there, they also assisted with rebuilding the Iraqi Air Force. While at Shaw, the colonel said he wants to learn as much as he can about the groups that make up the wing -- the medical group, the maintenance group, the support group and the operations group. The colonel said the military and family are a delicate balance. Sometimes work may take up 75 percent of the member’s time, other times it may take 40 percent. He said it’s important to keep a balance. Through it all, he stressed making family a priority. “We ask a lot of our military members. Keep your priorities straight. Remember the bigger cause of why we’re (deploying). Service to our nation is incredibly important. Remember to take care of your family and take care of each other,” Col. Byrne said.