Colonel Sonya Finch was sworn in Saturday as the new Mission Support Group Commander of Sioux City’s 185th Air National Guard Refueling Wing.
Mission Support is the largest of four groups that comprise the 185th.
Colonel Finch is a native of Osceola, Iowa and has spent her entire military career in the Iowa National Guard since joining at age 17:
OC……help me with that. :25
Colonel Finch will oversee the support services that help in the 185th’s mission of flying their refueling missions around the world:
OC………..fly a tanker. :23
Finch has more than 2000 hours flying experience including over 500 combat hours.
She had her inaugural membership in the 185th as a KC-135 pilot during the mid-2000’s and has been working in current operations at the 132nd Wing in Des Moines.
The base has changed somewhat since she was last here but some familiar faces remain:
OC……..come back. ;14
Colonel Finch takes over for Colonel Stephany Samenus, who has been promoted to Vice Commander of the 185th.
Updated 3:15pm 2/9/20
———————————–
Colonel Sonya Finch will take over as the Mission Support Group Commander of Sioux City’s 185th Air National Guard Refueling Wing at a change of command ceremony Saturday.
Mission Support is one of four groups that comprise the 185th.
Colonel Finch has been a member of the Iowa National Guard since joining as a teenager, serving both in the Army National Guard and most recently in the Iowa Air National Guard.
The Osceola native was commissioned through the Army ROTC program after graduating from the University of Northern Iowa in 1999 and trained as a helicopter pilot at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa.
Colonel Finch has more than 2000 hours flying experience including over 500 combat hours.
She had her inaugural membership in the 185th as a KC-135 pilot during the mid-2000’s and has been working in current operations at the 132nd Wing in Des Moines.
As support group commander, Finch will oversee the numerous units that are a part of the air wing’s support group, including Security Forces and Civil Engineering among others.
Colonel Finch takes over for Colonel Stephany Samenus, who has been promoted to Vice Commander of the 185th.
