2 Former Shuttle Pilots Take Posts at Edwards
Two former space shuttle pilots will take over as head of the famed test pilot school and as ranking officer at Edwards Air Force Base in the Antelope Valley, Air Force officials said Wednesday.
Maj. Gen. John P. Schoeppner Jr., 52, is retiring from the service and as commander of the Flight Test Center, the base’s top job. Schoeppner has held that post since July, 1988.
He will be succeeded Sept. 1 by Brig. Gen. Roy D. Bridges Jr., 47, a senior officer at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.
In the other change, Col. Guy S. Gardner, 43, took over Tuesday as commander of the Edwards Test Pilot School and will serve a two-year term. He replaces Col. Elton T. Pollock, 44, who is moving to Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Both Bridges and Gardner were pilots on past space shuttle missions.
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