Beale Air Force Base, Calif. –
The 940th Aerospace Medicine Flight saw the assumption of a new commander in January. After seven years at the helm for the 940 AMDF, Col. Robert Landgraf retired in December 2010. His replacement, Lt. Col. Julie Clement, was announced during the January Flight Commander's Call.
Clement's previous role was Chief of Health Administration for the wing. Clement said her new position will be challenging, but also exciting.
"The 940th AMDF has a great full-time staff, and we are prepared to take on the challenge of making sure the people in the wing are medically ready for their missions," said Clement.
Senior Master Sgt. Robert Pfenning, 940th AMDF Flight Superintendent, said the former commander led with an open-door policy.
"Colonel Landgraf had a very good relationship with his folks and was very well respected," said Pfenning.
Tech. Sgt. Jacqueline Smoak, an AMDF medical technician, said Landgraf fostered an excellent working environment.
"I fully expect the same with Colonel Clement," said Smoak. "Things flow much easier when you have a good working relationship with your senior leadership." Smoak added the new commander has already demonstrated an understanding of her staff.
Clement brings a vast amount of knowledge, Pfenning said, from her military and civilian experiences in managing people and programs. She encourages communication and recognizes the expertise from her medical staff when it comes to dental or medical issues; she will go to the proper sources for information, he said.
There are other changes in store for the AMDF in addition to the new leadership. The flight is set to become a squadron with an expansion in personnel. The growth is in reaction to the increasing size of the 940th Wing and the need to make sure Reservists here are medically ready to deploy.
With both of these transitions, "we have a great opportunity to continue building our solid medical team," said Pfenning.