JACKSONVILLE, N.C. -- Col. Thomas C. Farrington II assumed command of Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River from Col. Garth W. Burnett during a change of command ceremony held at the base theater today.
Upon assuming command of MCAS New River in 2022, Burnett leveraged his nearly 30 years of military experience to significantly streamline the Air Station Readiness Model (ASRM) – a continuous process improvement program now available for adoption by other installations.
Under Burnett’s leadership, MCAS New River routinely practiced emergency response exercises to ensure the air station was fully prepared to effectively respond to and mitigate the impact of any potential crisis. Most recently, he oversaw the conduct of Vigilant Response 2025, a full-scale exercise featuring a mass casualty event. The exercise allowed base personnel and civic partners to rehearse an active shooter scenario for Child Development Centers and execute subsequent reunification plans.
In recognition of his outstanding service as commanding officer, Burnett was awarded the Legion of Merit which highlighted his efforts at facilities modernization, optimization of performance and efficiency across the air station.
“[Col. Burnett’s efforts] were groundbreaking and will be enduring, not just across Marine Corps Installations East, but across all installations,” said Brigadier General Ralph J. Rizzo Jr., Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations East.
In his remarks, Burnett thanked not only the staff for supporting him in his successful tour but also for the external partnerships that made the air station’s success possible.
“I just wanted to thank our community partners specifically for everything that goes on at New River and Jacksonville,” Burnett said. “The amazing partnership we have with the local community in Jacksonville and Onslow County is the best one in the world, and most of the Marines don’t even know the blessing that they have here. It’s not because of us in uniform. It’s because of the community members and their willingness, grace and love to open the community to us.”
Burnett will now assume duties as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, Marine Corps Installation East-Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
Farrington received his commission in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2002 and became a F/A-18 naval flight officer before eventually becoming a naval aviator on the same airframe in 2012. Over the course of his career, Farrington served in a variety of operational and leadership roles, including a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and assignments with VMFA(AW)-242, VMFA(AW)-225, and VMU-2. He later commanded VMU-3 and served at Special Operations Command Pacific as its Chief of Staff.
“We live in a very difficult world today,” Farrington said. “What does an air station do? There’s a pretty good guiding light right as you drive onto this base which says, “Pardon our noise; it’s the sound of freedom.” That is what this air station does. We enable the support to allow 2nd Marine Air Wing to do what it does to provide capability to the Marine Expeditionary Force so that when the President and Secretary of Defense direct, we are ready and able to go.”
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U.S. Marine Corps Col. Thomas Farrington II, left, incoming commanding officer, stands at attention next to Col. Garth W. Burnett, outgoing commanding officer, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, during a change of command ceremony at MCAS New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina, July 17, 2025. The ceremony represented the transfer of responsibility, authority and accountability from the outgoing to the incoming commanding officer. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Loriann Dauscher)