Col. Jefferson Thurlby Relinquishes Command of 188th Medical Group to Lt. Col. Pete Mudge

Story by Maj. Jennifer Gerhardt

188th Wing

Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Ark. – In a ceremonial change of command event on December 8th, Col. Jefferson Thurlby officially relinquished command of the 188th Medical Group to Lt. Col. Pete Mudge. This transition marks a significant moment for the 188th Wing as Col. Thurlby steps into a new role as the Arkansas State Air Surgeon (SAS).

“Colonel Thurlby has been the exact right leader at the exact right time for the Medical Group,” said Col. Jay R. Spohn, the 188th Wing commander, who presided over the ceremony. “The years of Jeff’s command have seen the largest growth in scope and outreach in the history of the 188th Medical Group and we have his leadership to thank for that.”

Thurlby, who has led the 188th Medical Group with distinction since 2022, will now work closely with the Joint Force Headquarters to champion medical initiatives across the state. He will continue to serve his community in Northwest Arkansas as an anesthesiologist at Washington Regional Medical Center.

“The level of work that gets done by the Airmen at the 188th Medical Group is truly jaw-dropping.  We are on top of a truckload of medical qualification training and readiness currencies on both the civilian and military sides of the house,” said Thurlby.  “I have been so fortunate to serve alongside such an amazing group of airmen and look forward to supporting in a new way at the State level.  Lieutenant Colonel Mudge is a gifted leader, organizer, and strategic thinker.  He is the right man to take over the Group and will take us to the next level of excellence.  I am excited about the future of our group and our Wing!”

Lt. Col. Pete Mudge, who has been working as Thurlby’s full-time counterpart was the natural choice to take over, according to Spohn.

“Pete brings a different perspective to command, as a full-time military member, but has the same talent, drive, and care for Airmen that made Jeff’s command such a successful time for the Medical Group,” said Spohn. “I’m excited to see Pete take the next step to group command and soon, to the rank of colonel. It’s truly a great day for the 188th Medical Group and the 188th Wing!”

Lt. Col. Pete Mudge, the incoming commander, has expressed his commitment to maintaining the group’s high standards and readiness. He emphasized the upcoming 188th medical leadership strategic conference, which will play a crucial role in defining the future goals, vision, and mission for the medical operations of the group. “Our Airmen are outstanding, and we will continue to develop leaders and empower our airmen at all levels to solve problems”, added Mudge.

He highlighted the importance of leaning into programs such as the State Partnership Program (SPP), Global Health Engagements (GHE), and Innovative Readiness Training (IRT). These programs provide valuable training opportunities while enabling the delivery of world-class medical care to under-served populations, thereby building crucial partnerships.

“Our group remains steadfast in its commitment to continuously improve medical operations, training, customer service, and processes to positively impact the 188th Wings missions at home and abroad,” said Mudge.