FSS welcomes new commander

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Lou Burton
  • 482nd Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  The 482nd Force Support Squadron welcomed their new commander, Lt. Col. Norberta J. Patterson, and said goodbye to Lt. Col. Lawrence Holbrook, during a Change of Command ceremony held during on June 5.
 
Holbrook was the first commander of FSS which was formed by combining the 482nd Services Squadron and the 482d Mission Support Squadron in December 2010.

Addressing the squadron, Holbrook said, "You (FSS) are every bit the professionals. My job was made easy by the dedicated Airmen of the Force Support Squadron."

Holbrook will be deploying to Afghanistan, and upon his return he is planning to retire.

"Thank you Lt. Col Holbrook for the excellent work you have done here with the newly formed FSS," said Patterson. "Thank you FSS for your great work in adjusting to the merger in 2010. We will continue to merge our sections and maintain the level of professionalism you have already exhibited."

Patterson is a graduate of the University of Georgia. She joined the Mississippi Air National Guard in 1991 and was commissioned through the Academy of Military Science in 1992.

After three years as an Air Battle Manager in the ANG, she transferred to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., as a traditional reservist in which she served as the 403rd Wing Executive Officer. Due to her keen insight and experience in military personnel, Patterson became the 403rd Mission Support Flight Commander in 2004.

Her abilities were put to the test early in her command when hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast in August 2005. Patterson directed the wing personnel accountability process, achieving 100 percent accountability.

In May 2008, Patterson returned to her operations roots as the Operations Group Executive Officer, managing all military and civilian personnel programs for the group.
While searching for new challenges, Patterson decided to join the 482nd Fighter Wing as the FSS operations officer in Feb 2012.