Upcoming change of command ceremonies Published May 16, 2017 By Steve Kotecki 21st Space Wing Public Affairs Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. -- The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition for the U.S. military that dates back to beginning of our country, and has it roots in the armies of ancient Rome.For the Roman legions, the standard, called the aquila, was very important to the honor of the legion. It was used as a center point during battle so legionnaires knew where to align their formations.If lost in battle, it was considered a great dishonor and a legion would go to extreme lengths to recover one. After the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, in what is now Germany in 9 A.D., the Roman XVII, XVIII, and XIX legions lost their aquila and spent the next three decades trying to recover them.When the legions had a change of command the aquila was passed from one commander to the next signifying the transfer of the spirit and loyalty of the legionnaires.For the U.S. military, the change of command ceremony is used to mark the passage of command from the outgoing commander to the incoming commander. This is done in front of a formation of troops to show their symbolic loyalty to the unit flag as well as the new commander that will be in charge of them.Here at Peterson Air Force Base, we have a number of change of command ceremonies coming up this summer.May 25 -- 21st Operations Support SquadronMay 30 -- 21st Operations GroupMay 31 – 21st Security Forces SquadronJune 1 – 721st Mission Support GroupJune 8 -- 12th Space Warning SquadronJune 8 – 21st Logistics Readiness SquadronJune 13 – 13th Space Warning SquadronJune 14 -- 21st Dental SquadronJune 14 – 18th Space Control SquadronJune 16 – 16th Space Control SquadronJune 23 -- 10th Space Warning SquadronJune 26 – 21st Civil Engineer SquadronJune 29 – 821st Air Base GroupJuly 6 -- 21st Aerospace Medicine SquadronJuly 11 – 21st Medical Support SquadronJuly 13 – 21st Contracting SquadronTBD – 21st Force Support Squadron