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New commander takes charge of MacDill's 6th AMW

  • Published
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Brig. Gen. David Tanker Snyder relinquished command of the 6th Air Mobility Wing Feb. 3 to Col. Margaret Woodward, former deputy director for colonel matters at the Air Force Senior Leader Management Office at the Pentagon, Washington D.C. Lt. Gen. William Welser, 18th Air Force commander, officiated the ceremony.

Thank you for granting me the flag of the 6th Air Mobility Wing, Colonel Woodward said to General Welser. You have my word I will carry it forward as long as I am in command.

Never before has the mission of the unit been so important, and never has the support of a community been as strong as it is in Tampa, the colonel said after assuming command. Commanding is all about people. Its about understanding your diversity and leveraging your strengths. Its about making things better every day.

Colonel Woodward entered the Air Force in 1983 as a Reserve Officer Training Corps graduate from Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona. She attended undergraduate pilot training at Columbus AFB, Miss., and earned her wings in 1983.

Colonel Woodward has served as the secretary of defenses deputy director of protocol and commanded an operations group. She is a command pilot with more than 3,500 hours in the T-37, T-38 and KC-135 A/Q/R/T.

There are currently 14 female Air Force wing commanders; four of whom are in Air Mobility Command. Colonel Woodward will be the 6th Air Mobility Wings first female wing commander.

She is a leaders leader and comes with recommendations from the highest levels, said General Welser. She has been involved in operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch and Allied Force, and I have no doubt she will continue to do great things here at MacDill.

A first for any change of command, General Welser singled out two members from the base to recognize them for their outstanding work under the leadership of General Snyder. First Lt. Erin Dorrance, 6th AMW Public Affairs deputy chief; and Tech. Sgt. Mike Hassett, 6th Security Forces Squadron, were caught off guard by the attention. Even more surprising for Sergeant Hassett was the STEP-promotion to master sergeant he received when called on stage.

General Welser also presented General Snyder with two awards: the Legion of Merit for his leadership and accomplishments while in command at MacDill, and the Air Medal for his service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom while deployed to Southwest Asia.

Tanker was one of the few career generals we have left as a wing commander in the 18th Air Force, said General Welser. And while he was here, not only did he lead, but during his command, transport aircraft under his command moved more than 1.5 million people. Thats the entire population of Philadelphia!

Tanker fought a war at the side of General Handy (commander of Air Mobility

Command) and even deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. However, [he] tells me the men and women of this wing are the reason for its success.

General Snyder, who took command of the 6th AMW Jan. 9, 2003, has been selected for reassignment to Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, where he will serve as the U.S. Pacific Command strategic planning and policy deputy director.

Air Mobility Command News Service is a service of the Internal Division
Office of Public Affairs
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