Lt. Col. Vanessa Grant speaks after assuming command of the 11th Contracting Squadron during a change-of-command ceremony June 15 at the U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Lawn on Bolling Air Force Base, D.C.
The men and women of the 11th Contracting Squadron welcomed their new commander June 15 during a change-of-command ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Ceremonial Lawn on Bolling Air Force Base, D.C.
Lt. Col. Vanessa M. Grant takes the reins from Lt. Col. Linda K. Bethke, who relinquished command after two years. Colonel Bethke will be retiring June 26.
‘‘It’s truly an honor and a privilege to be taking command of the ‘Mighty’ 11th Contracting Squadron today,” said Colonel Grant during her speech at the ceremony. ‘‘I accept command with the understanding that both the greatest rewards and the greatest challenges an officer can face in their career is the opportunity to command. It is a big responsibility and one that I don’t take lightly.”
Colonel Grant comes to Bolling from the Contracting Operations Group, Defense Contract Management Agency, Indianapolis.
The St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, native received her commission into the Air Force in 1993 after participating in the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and obtaining a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Fayetteville State University in North Carolina. The colonel also earned a masters of arts, also in business administration, from Chapman University in Orange, Calif.
Some of the colonel’s previous assignments include tours at Los Angeles AFB, Calif.; Langley AFB, Va.; Bitburg Air Base, Germany; Warner Robins AFB, Ga.; Camp Eggers, Afghanistan; the Pentagon; Indianapolis and Bagram AB, Afghanistan.
The new 11th CONS commander has earned the Meritorious Service Medal as well as the Joint Service and Air Force Commendation Medals, among others.
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