NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. -- Lt. Col. Michelle Van Sickle assumed command of the 914th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron after receiving the unit flag from 914th Air Refueling Wing vice commander Col. Erik Aufderheide during a formal ceremony at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. June 1, 2019.
Van Sickle comes to Niagara from McConnell AFB where she previously served as the 931st Medical Squadron commander.
A change of command or assumption of command ceremony is a military tradition that represents a formal transfer of authority and responsibility for a unit from one commanding officer to another. The passing of colors or standards from an outgoing commander to an incoming one ensures that the unit and its Airmen is never without official leadership, thereby maintaining readiness and providing resiliency for the unit.