New Ysterplaat boss returns home
Date: 7 February 2013
By Dean Wingrin
It was a welcome home for the new Officer Commanding (OC) of AFB Ysterplaat when he took over command of the picturesque Cape Town airbase at a Change of Command Parade on Thursday.
Joining the SAAF after matric and receiving his Wings in 1974, Colonel Christo Stroebel was appointed as Officer Commanding AFB Ysterplaat from 1 January 2013, replacing Colonel Bill Cowan. Stroebel considers Ysterplaat to be his home, this being his third tour of duty and having spent a cumulative 18 years at the Base. Having previously served as the Air Wing Coordinator at AFB Waterkloof, Stroebel appreciates the more ‘personal’ nature of Ysterplaat due to its smaller size.
The Base has won many awards and honours, something that has continued since Cowan was appointed OC in January 2009. A previous multiple winner of the Base of the Year, just last week it was announced that Ysterplaat was a runner-up for the SAAF Prestige Award for 2012, with 35 Squadron winning the SAAF Sword for Peace award and co-located 80 Air Navigation School the best training unit award.
As Cowan said in his address to the Parade, Ysterplaat is “a base that is quite rightly considered to be one of the best bases in the SAAF.”
When it came to the highlights during his tenure as OC, Cowan says that there were many.
“2010 was one of our busiest years,” Cowan said, “that’s when we received the Freedom of Entry into Cape Town and we hosted the very successful Africa Aerospace and Defence show.”
“That year we also provided support for the soccer World Cup. That whole year we were so busy, but it was fantastic,” Cowan added.
Another significant milestone in the history of Ysterplaat was the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of AFB Ysterplaat in October 2011.
Cowan noted, however, that when reflecting back on the highlights of his command, these “will always be tinged though, with a large degree of sadness at the string of losses of valuable and irreplaceable lives towards the end of 2012.”
This was in reference to the loss of a 35 Squadron Dakota in a landing accident at Mthatha Airport in November 2012 and the fatal accident of another 35 Squadron Dakota in the Drakensberg Mountains in December.
“It is my fervent wish that the new OC will never have to experience the likes of the last two month of 2012.” Cowan said.
Despite the numerous achievements, Ysterplaat still faces many challenges. Cowan noted in his address that “many of the elements that make up AFB Ysterplaat are again facing another challenge as the reality sets in with reference to the non-renewal of the Denel AMG contract."
Cowan continued that he was “of the belief that a solution to this extremely difficult situation will be overcome by the passion and dedication of all on AFB Ysterplaat.”
Stroebel admits that personnel changes as a result of the cancellation of the Denel/AMG contract will present significant challenges that will need to be managed.
Another issue is that of funding. It was acknowledged that funding for the airforce will still be a major problem and that the Base budget for the last few years had not been sufficient. This will be overcome, Stroebel notes, by judicious apportionment and careful budgetary control to ensure that Ysterplaat attains even more Base of the Year awards in the future.
Cowan’s new position is at Air Force Head Quarters as Senior Staff Officer (SSO) Business Plan at Directorate Air Policy and Plans.
