OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AP) — Offutt Air Force Base’s 55th Wing has a new leader — the first woman to command the 80-year-old reconnaissance unit.
Our partners at the Omaha World-Herald reported that Col. Kristen Thompson took over command Tuesday, becoming the first woman among the 65 officers who have led the unit since it was established in 1941.
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She replaces Col. Gavin Marks, who was the first Black leader of the unit. Marks led the 55th Wing through a tumultuous time that included the early stages of recovery from the March 2019 floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 300 people, including Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, attended the ceremony.
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