Keesler Air Force Base will officially transfer command to the new 81st Training Wing commander, Colonel Heather Blackwell from current commander, Col. Debra Lovette. The 81st TRW is responsible for training more than 28,000 students annually, in 400 courses covering 37 different career fields. Keesler serves as a lead joint training installation, and they train not only the Air Force, but Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, along with other military and civilian federal agency personnel.
Blackwell graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1997 and has served in a variety of positions, including agency chief roles, squadron and group commands, executive-level, and Air Staff positions. Additionally, Blackwell has served as a National Security Fellow in the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Prior to her assignment at Keesler, Blackwell served as the director of legislative affairs for the U.S. Cyber Command at Fort George Meade, Maryland.
The ceremony and parade will take place Thursday, May 16 at 8:10 a.m., on the Levitow Training Support Facility parade field.
