New wing commander for Goodfellow

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Erica Rodriguez
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Col. Kimberlee Joos assumed command of the 17th Training Wing during a change of command ceremony held at the Louis F. Garland Fire Academy high bay, May 29.

Col. Joos, former 373rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group Commander and Misawa Security Operations Center Commander, Misawa Air Base, Japan, replaced Col. Mark Damiano, who will go on to serve at the Pentagon as the Principal Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence.

Maj. Gen. Leonard Patrick, 2nd Air Force Commander, was the presiding officer of the ceremony.

"Col. Joos comes to us from Misawa where she had a distributed command, one not unlike Goodfellow," said Maj. Gen. Patrick, 2nd Air Force Commander. "She knows that she will have to lead by influence just as much as by presence. Kim is the right officer to take over today and bring Goodfellow into the future. We welcome this great officer, who is ready to take the guidon and feel the burden of command ... but to also feel the warmth of the community and the service members that she is going to lead."

Col. Joos is a master intelligence officer with experience in numerous intelligence disciplines, including indications and warning, analysis, instructor, flying unit-level intelligence support, theater airborne intelligence surveillance reconnaissance operations, national cryptologic operations and collection management. She has joint duty experience at the Component and Combatant Command and has served at all levels of Air Force operations.

Col. Joos expressed the importance of her new role as commander and the gratitude of her selection for the assignment.

"Commander is one of the most significant titles an officer can have in her career," said Col. Joos. "It's a sacred trust and one that I don't take lightly. I am so very humbled and honored to be selected to command the 17th Training Wing and the base here at Goodfellow. The missions and the absolutely outstanding representation of the people who make up this wing have made this command my dream job. I stand here before you realizing a dream come true. "

Col. Joos wants to enforce and support the mission here at Goodfellow.

"To the men and women of the 17th Training Wing and of Goodfellow Air Force Base, I promise, as your commander, to bring my A-game every day; to stay motivated, to inspire you and us, through words and actions, to work together to accomplish this mission that we have; training the world's best intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and firefighter professionals," said Col. Joos.

Col. Joos commissioned in 1991 through the ROTC program at Southeast Missouri State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Southeast Missouri State University and a Master of Arts in National Security Studies from Georgetown University. She is a distinguished graduate of Air Command and Staff College, a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College, Air War College, and a distinguished graduate of the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Her major awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Air Force Achievement Medal.