U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, left, Space Systems Command leader, hands the Space Launch Delta 30 guidon to Col. James Horne III during the Space Launch Delta 30 change-of-command ceremony Tuesday at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Horne follows Col. Mark Shoemaker, who retired from the military after leading the primary unit for two years.
U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, left, Space Systems Command leader, hands the Space Launch Delta 30 guidon to Col. James Horne III during the Space Launch Delta 30 change-of-command ceremony Tuesday at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Horne follows Col. Mark Shoemaker, who retired from the military after leading the primary unit for two years. Credit: Tech. Sgt. Draeke Layman / U.S. Space Force photo

A new commander is at the helm of the primary unit at Vandenberg Space Force Base following a change-of-command ceremony Tuesday morning.

U.S. Space Force Col. James Horne III assumed command of Space Launch Delta 30 during the ceremony, where departing commander Col. Mark Shoemaker retired.

Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, who leads Space Systems Command, presided over the ceremony, welcoming Horne as the new commander and highlighting some of Shoemaker’s achievements during his time leading SLD 30.

The change-of-commander ceremony was steeped in military history with the passing of the unit guidon to symbolize the new leadership with the simple words “Sir, I relinquish command” and “Sir, I accept command” spelling out the switch.

It isn’t the first assignment at Vandenberg for Horne, a 2000 graduate of the Air Force Academy. He initially arrived on the Central Coast in 2008 to undergo training to serve on a Minuteman III missile combat operations crew, a job he later performed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.

After Pentagon and other assignments, Horne returned to Vandenberg, where he served from June 2015 to June 2017 as commander of the 30th Range Management Squadron.

Following stints at Los Angeles Air Force Base and Florida’s Patrick Space Force Base, Horne is back again on the Central Coast leading the primary unit.

As the commander of Space Launch Delta 30, Horne is responsible for $8.4 billion in assets, a $280 million annual budget, installations spanning more than 118,000 acres, and more than 11,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel.

U.S. Space Force Col. James Horne III, incoming Space Launch Delta 30 commander, receives the SLD 30 guidon from U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, Space Systems Command commander, during the SLD 30 change-of-command ceremony at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday.
U.S. Space Force Col. James Horne III, incoming Space Launch Delta 30 commander, receives the SLD 30 guidon from U.S. Space Force Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, Space Systems Command commander, during the SLD 30 change-of-command ceremony at Vandenberg Space Force Base on Tuesday. Credit: Senior Airman Ryan Quijas / U.S. Space Force photo

Shoemaker, who earned his commission through ROTC at Iowa State University, served for 28 years, initially in the Air Force and later transitioned to the Space Force.

He assumed command of Space Launch Delta 30 in July 2023, completing a typical two-year assignment. 

He previously served at Vandenberg from 2003 to 2006, working as a Titan IV Operations Flight commander for the 2nd Space Launch Squadron and Mission Support Flight commander for the 4th Space Launch Squadron. 

He also completed assignments at the Pentagon, the National Reconnaissance Office and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

Shoemaker also received the Legion of Merit award during his retirement ceremony last week.

— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.