A new commander is set to take over Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Col. Kevin Blanchard has officially assumed command of the Tucson base.

Blanchard just completed a yearlong assignment as the vice commander of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.

He succeeds Col. John Cherrey who left for a Pentagon assignment in June. Cherrey led the 355th Fighter Wing and the base since June 2010.

The Arizona Daily star reports that Blanchard is a pilot with more than 2,400 hours of flying time.