The Fayetteville Observer reports Col. John W. McDonald officially took over Tuesday from Col. Timothy M. Zadalis as commander of the 43rd Airlift Wing at Pope Air Force Base.

McDonald is a C-130 cargo plane navigator and the son of an Air Force chief master sergeant.

Pope is scheduled to become an Army airfield by 2011 as part of a national base realignment plan.

Zadalis has been nominated for promotion to brigadier general.