1st female commander of the 178th Wing named at the change of command ceremony

Col. Kimberly A. Fitzgerald, the new commander of the 178th Wing, has served for 26 years.

“I’m excited that all the women that are in this wing can see that they have a path,” she said.

“The military no longer says ‘women can’t do.’ Only you can say what you can’t do.”

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During her years of service, Fitzgerald has completed more than 4,000 flight hours as a KC-135 navigator, a KC-135 pilot, MQ-1 Predator pilot, and MQ-9 Reaper pilot, according to a release.

“I would definitely say that all my experiences are very diverse and I think that has led me to where I am,” Fitzgerald said.

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She is taking over for the previous commander, Col. Gregg J. Hesterman, who is moving on to become the director of staff at the Ohio Air National Guard.