New Westover wing commander takes part in Veterans Day

Date: 11/14/2014

CHICOPEE – The city of Chicopee welcomed Col. Albert Lupenski, the new commander of Westover Air Reserve Base, during its observations of Veterans Day.

The city noted the holiday with a memorial service at Doverbrook, a service at St. Stanislaus Basilica, the laying of wreaths at Veterans’ Plaza and then a reception hosted by Elder Council 69 of the Knights of Columbus.

Lupenski took command of the 439th Airlift Wing in September. His previous assignment was the commander of the 932nd Airlift Wing at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois. A pilot, Lupenski has experience flying both fixed wing aircraft as well as helicopters and served for 14 years as a pilot in recuse units in New York, Alaska and Florida.

At the reception, Mayor Richard Kos welcomed Lupenski and noted that his presence at the city’s veterans’ events shows how the base and its personnel are integrated into the city.

Kos added that discussions at the federal level about the base’s role are ongoing and that base and city must “work on continuously” to preserve Westover.

“We need to be the perfect host,” Kos said of the city’s responsibilities.

Kos recalled the changes at the base and said how the noise of the B-52 bombers flying out of Westover was part of his growing up.

“We know the history Westover has played in the city,” Kos added.

 Lupenski noted some of that history by saying the desk used by Gen. Curtis LeMay, the architect of the Strategic Air Command, was in his office.

He said his former assignment was in a community that was “very active” in how it supported Scott Air Force Base, but he added, “I’ve not seen the level of support I’ve seen here.”


Lupenski said Veterans Day is about “paying honor to those who came before us and those who will come after us.”

He added the increasing tensions in the Middle East are adding a new challenge for the nation.

The city’s Veterans Day observations were preceded by a job fair for vets on Nov. 10 in which 30 employers were seeking applicants for 200 jobs.