Barksdale Air Force Base welcomes it's first female commander for the 2nd Bomb Wing.

Colonel Kristin Goodwin takes over today. She is the nation’s first female bomber wing commander.Colonel Goodwin comes to Bossier City from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri where  she was the vice commander. She's been in town getting familiar with the local base and qualifying on the B-52.

Prior to arriving at Whiteman AFB, Col. Goodwin was an Air Force Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank.

More info about Colonel Goodwin below.

Colonel Goodwin graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1993 with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. Her career began as an EC-130 instructor pilot in the Compass Call and Airborne Battle Staff, Command and Control Platforms. She was selected for the Air Force Intern Program and worked in the SAF/AA Office and CJCS/LA Joint Staff. She then served with the 509th Bomb Wing as a B-2 instructor pilot; T-38 pilot; chief of wing scheduling; and ADO/chief of wing combat plans. She oversaw the incorporation of the B-2 into theater operational plans while integrating policies, standards and procedures for B-2 training and combat employment. Following her tour with the B-2, she was a Political Advisor (POLAD) to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. During her POLAD Fellowship, she worked as a political officer in the Bangkok Embassy, Thailand, addressing counter-insurgency, port security and refugee issues. She was hand-selected as the deputy director of the U.S. Pacific Command, Commander's Action Group, and was responsible to the USPACOM commander for development of strategic concepts, theater engagement planning with regional leaders and annual congressional testimony. From the Pacific theater, Col. Goodwin went back to Whiteman AFB as the director of operations for the 393rd B-2 Bomb Squadron before becoming the 509th Operations Support Squadron commander. Following her command tour, Col. Goodwin was the executive officer to the commander of Air Combat Command.

EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering, USAFA, CO
1999 Squadron Officer's School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2001 Master of Arts in Business and Organizational Management, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2005 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
2006 Near East Asia/ Near East/ North Africa/ China Seminar Courses, US Department of State Foreign Service Institute, Washington DC
2007 Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS): Executive Course, Honolulu, HI
2007 Air Command and Staff College, POLAD Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2007 Air War College (Correspondence)
2013 Air Force Fellow (SDE), CSIS think tank, Washington, D.C.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. Aug 1993 - Jan 1994, Assistant Deputy Executive Officer, Professional Military Studies, USAF Academy, CO
2. Jan 1994 - Mar 1995, Student Pilot, T-37 / T-1, Laughlin AFB, TX
3. Mar 1995 - Aug 1995, Student, Lead-In C-130 Training, Little Rock AFB, AR
4. Aug 1995 - Feb 1998, EC-130H Aircraft Commander, Mobility Officer, Squadron Standardization and Evaluation Liaison Officer, Scheduler, 41ECS, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
5. Feb 1998 - May 1999, Group Operations Executive Officer; EC-130 Instructor Pilot in Compass Call and Airborne Battlefield Command and Control Center, 355OG, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
6. Jul 1999 - Jun 2001, AF Intern Program, SAF/AA and CJCS/LA offices, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
7. Jun 2001 - Jun 2002, B-2 Initial Qualification; T-38 Pilot, 394 CTS, Whiteman AFB, MO
8. Jun 2002 - Nov 2004, Flight Commander; Chief of Scheduling; B-2 Mission Commander; T-38 Pilot, 325BS, Whiteman AFB, MO
9. Nov 2004 - Dec 2005, Chief, Wing Scheduling; B-2 Instructor Pilot; T-38 Pilot, 509OGS, Whiteman AFB, MO
10. Dec 2005 - Jul 2006, Assistant Director of Operations; Chief, Wing Combat Plans; B-2 Instructor Pilot; T-38 Pilot, 509OSS, Whiteman AFB, MO
11. Jul 2006 - Jul 2007, National Defense Fellow, Office of the Foreign Policy Advisor, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
12. Jul 2007 - Aug 2009, Deputy Director, US Pacific Commander's Action Group, Camp Smith, HI
13. Aug 2009 - Jun 2010, Director of Operations 393rd Bomb Squadron; B-2 Evaluator Pilot, Whiteman AFB, MO
14. Jun 2010 - June 2011, Commander, 509th OSS; B-2 Evaluator Pilot, Whiteman AFB, MO
15. Jun 2011 - June 2012, Executive Officer to Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA
16. Jun 2012 - Jun 2013, AF Fellowship, Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, Washington, D.C.
17. Jun 2013 - Present, Vice Commander, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, MO

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 2726 hours
Aircraft flown: B-2, EC-130, C-130, T-38, T-1, T-37

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (1 OLC)
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal (4 OLC)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device
Combat Readiness Medal (3 OLC)
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (3 OLC)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
NATO Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
41st Electronic Combat Squadron Pilot of the Year 1996
41st Electronic Combat Squadron Company Grade Officer of the Year 1996
Daedalians Pilot of the Year 1997
Air Force Association Aviator of the Year 1997
325 Bomb Squadron Mission Commander of the Quarter 2004
325 Bomb Squadron Instructor Pilot of the Quarter 2005

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant - June 1993
First Lieutenant - June 1995
Captain - June 1997
Major - Sept 2003
Lieutenant Colonel - June 2008
Colonel - July 2012

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