Command changes for trainers next week Published Sept. 11, 2007 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Col. Prince Gilliard Jr. assumes command of the 81st Training Group from Col. Deborah Van De Ven, 6 p.m. Sept. 20 at the parade field adjacent to the Levitow Training Support Facility. In case of rain, the ceremony moves to the Welch Auditorium. Colonel Gilliard comes to Keesler from the Defense Information Systems Agency in Arlington, Va., where he was the deputy component acquisition executive. His previous assignments were at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.; Sembach Air Base, Germany; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Scott AFB, Ill.; Eskan Village, Saudi Arabia; Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and the Pentagon. He attended basic and advanced communications officer training at Keesler. Colonel Gilliard holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of South Carolina and a master's degree in computer resources and information management from Webster University. Col. Van De Ven's retirement ceremony follows the change of command. She's led the 81st TRG for two years.