HQ RIO Introduces New Commander Published Oct. 2, 2023 By TSgt Cierra Presentado HQ RIO Public Affairs BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE, Co -- Col Nathan “N8” Day officially took command of Headquarters Readiness and Integration Organization (HQ RIO), at Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, Sep 29, 2023. Col Day was the former Deputy Commander at the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. Col Day has had a variety of assignments throughout his career. He started his AF career on Active Duty and subsequently transitioned to be a Traditional Reservist. While he has never been an IMA, he is eager to take command of HQ RIO. “The biggest thing with the initial part of any command position is to really see from the subordinate commanders the gaps and seams that they currently have and how to address those,” he said. “Even if I did have a very intimate understanding of every working part of the IMA world, I don’t think it’s appropriate, necessarily, for me to step in and try to implement any changes until I really get an understanding of what the different sections need.” Col Day, although new to the IMA world, is excited to get to work to make a difference in Airmen’s lives. “What I am really excited about for the RIO command, in general, is our ability to embrace technology,” he said. “We’re on the precipice of some incredible transitions in the Air Force Reserve. More specifically, in regards to how the RIO command will have the ability for the IMAs, MAs and PIRRs to be able to get information real time as well as access whatever they need from the detachments. I don’t specifically have a game plan on what I plan on implementing. I plan on finding out where those gaps and seams are and then implementing what the det commanders and ultimately the IRs need.” Col Day hopes to reassure RIO Airmen that he brings much experience from his former roles as a TR and active-duty member. “I’m not a 38F (a personnelist) and I don’t come from the IMA world. And while some people might view that as a detriment, I think sometimes we can become ossified in our current jobs and that’s why the Air Force likes to move people around and stress what they’re capable of doing. I hope that by being an outsider that I will provide a different perspective and hopefully that will be a benefit to RIO. I consider myself approachable and very flexible in how I accomplish things. This approach may allow us to break out of some of the things we’ve done in the past that may not have been beneficial or there might be a new technology that we can embrace that will allow the IRs to be more productive.” Col Day, his wife, and their children are excited to take on this new endeavor.