After more than 47 years in uniform, the longest career of any United States Air Force officer, Major General Douglas Burnett is hanging up his wings.

In addition to serving nearly five decades, General Burnett has more than 20,000 flying hours in number of military and commercial aircraft.

"I was not out in front, nor behind, nor in the middle of the pack," Burnett said in brief remarks at the ceremony. "But I was on your shoulders. You carried me across the goal line of success."

The two-star General waved off interview requests from reporters at the ceremony. That's not his style. This day wasn't about him, he said through a spokesperson, but about the men and women who make up the Florida National Guard.

"So thank you so much," he said. "Thank you for your service. Thank you for carrying me on your shoulders. Boy, we put the points on the scoreboard."

In the eight and half years since Burnett was tapped as Adjuant General of the Guard, Florida's National Guard has been a model for other states, responding to hurricanes, tornadoes and floods in the Sunshine State...and sending thousands to fight the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Jacksonville-native is handing the reigns to another Jacksonville-native.

But, Major General Emmett Titshaw admits, leading the Florida National Guard was never his goal when he signed up for service 40 years ago.

"It was to fly fighters," he said. "And maybe be a fighter squaderon commander."

General Titshaw spent decades in the cockpit of figher jets, racking up thousands of hours of sky time. Now, he says the mission is to keep up the pace set by his predecessor.

"We'll just try and raise the bar," the General said, minutes before being handed the Florida National Guard flag, the ceremonial symbol of taking command.

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