U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Kristen E. Westby assumed responsibility as commander of the 122nd Fighter Wing (FW) Maintenance Group, November 5, 2022. This historical event, attended by the wing’s largest unit, marks the first time a female has taken command of the maintenance group at the 122nd FW.

Westby began her Air Force career as a commissioned officer in 2000 and completed undergraduate pilot training in 2002, to become a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft pilot. She has held leadership positions as instructor pilot, aircraft commander, group unit deployment manager, flight commander, chief of check flight and assistant director of operations.

Westby is a senior pilot with more than 2,800 hours in the T-37 Tweet, T-1 Jayhawk, T-6 Texan II and KC-135 aircraft. She served in multiple combat deployments, logging 910 combat hours during 165 combat sorties in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and JOINT FORGE.

As group commander, Westby executes an annual budget in excess of $27 million and is directly responsible to the wing commander for planning, organizing, scheduling, controlling and directing all unit aircraft maintenance resources to meet mission requirements.

Outside of her military responsibilities Westby oversees a small business doing professional organizing.