Moody AFB welcomes first female commander
Published 6:30 am Tuesday, July 11, 2017
- Derrek Vaughn | The Valdosta Daily TimesCol. Kunkel and Col. Short share a laugh while awaiting the change of command.
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE — The 23d Wing at Moody Air Force Base has a new commander, among other new claims to fame.
Col. Thomas Kunkel transferred command of the 23d Wing to Col. Jennifer Short Monday morning. Short is the first female and first fighter pilot to serve as commander at Moody.
Short comes from 335th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. where she served as vice commander. According to information provided by Moody, she has flown more than 1,800 hours as a senior pilot, with more than 430 combat hours in Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
“I will follow in his footsteps and learn from his extraordinary example,” Short said of Kunkel.
Kunkel also received the Legion of Merit Award for his work at Moody. He deployed in support of Operations Allied Force, Enduring Freedom-Phillipines, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
“You are more than ready for this opportunity,” Kunkel told Short.
