374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Cochran, 374th Airlift Wing deputy commander, is splashed with water by Chief Master Sgt. Kenneth Hauck, 374 AW command chief, following his final flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2025. Cochran is a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours from serving in multiple mobility flying units throughout his career. Prior to his current assignment, Cochran was the Military Deputy for the Rapid Global Mobility and Special Operations Forces Division, Directorate of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs at Headquarters United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith)

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374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Cochran, 374th Airlift Wing deputy commander, is splashed to celebrate his final flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2025. As deputy commander, he was responsible for assisting the wing commander in the management, training and facilitating command and control of the Department of Defense’s premier airlift hub in the Pacific theater. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith)

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374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Cochran, 374th Airlift Wing deputy commander, poses with his family following his final flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2025. This is Cochran’s second tour at Yokota, the first from 2009-2012, where he served as a C-130H Hercules instructor pilot and chief of command post, and was a crucial part of Yokota’s response to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and ensuing tsunami that devastated Eastern Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith)

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374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

From the left, U.S. Air Force Col. Richard McElhaney, 374th Airlift Wing commander, pins a medal onto Col. Brett Cochran, 374 AW deputy commander, during the Legion of Merit ceremony following Cochran’s final flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2025. This is Cochran’s second tour at Yokota, the first from 2009-2012, where he served as a C-130H Hercules instructor pilot and chief of command post, and was a crucial part of Yokota’s response to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and ensuing tsunami that devastated Eastern Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith)

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374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

From the left, U.S. Air Force Col. Richard McElhaney, 374th Airlift Wing commander, and Col. Brett Cochran, 374 AW deputy commander, pose for a photo during the Legion of Merit ceremony following Cochran’s final flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2025. Col. McElhaney presented the Legion of Merit to Cochran for his distinguished service and contribution to Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith)

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374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

From the left, U.S. Air Force Col. Richard McElhaney, 374th Airlift Wing commander, and Col. Brett Cochran, 374 AW deputy commander, stand at attention during the Legion of Merit ceremony following Cochran’s final flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2025. As deputy commander, he was responsible for assisting the wing commander in the management, training and facilitating command and control of the Department of Defense’s premier airlift hub in the Pacific theater. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith)

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374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Cochran, 374th Airlift Wing deputy commander, places a patch on the wall of the heritage room in the 36th Airlift Squadron following his final flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2025. Cochran is a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours from serving in multiple mobility flying units throughout his career. Prior to his current assignment, Cochran was the Military Deputy for the Rapid Global Mobility and Special Operations Forces Division, Directorate of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs at Headquarters United States Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith)

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374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

A patch from U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Cochran, 374th Airlift Wing deputy commander, is displayed on the wall of the heritage room in the 36th Airlift Squadron following his final flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2025. As deputy commander, he was responsible for assisting the wing commander in the management, training and facilitating command and control of the Department of Defense’s premier airlift hub in the Pacific theater. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith)

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374 AW DCOM concludes second tour at Yokota

A patch from U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Cochran, 374th Airlift Wing deputy commander, is displayed on the wall of the heritage room in the 36th Airlift Squadron from his first tour between 2009-2012 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12, 2025. This patch was displayed by Cochran after finishing his tour from 2009-2012, where he served as a C-130H Hercules instructor pilot and chief of command post, and was a crucial part of Yokota’s response to the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and ensuing tsunami that devastated Eastern Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jarrett Smith)

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U.S. Air Force Col. Brett Cochran, 374th Airlift Wing deputy commander, completed his final flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 12.

The final flight — also known as a fini flight — is an Air Force tradition marking a pilot’s departure from a unit or the last time they fly an aircraft.

Cochran served as deputy commander for the 374 AW from June 2023 to March 2025, and was responsible for assisting the wing commander in the management, training, and facilitating command and control of the Department of Defense’s premier airlift hub in the Pacific theater.

This is Cochran’s second tour at Yokota, the first conducted 2009-2012, where he served as a C-130H Hercules instructor pilot and chief of command post, and was a crucial part of Yokota’s response to the 2011 Tohoku earthquak e and ensuing tsunami that devastated Eastern Japan.