ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Col. Michelle C. Coumbs took command of the
367th Recruiting Group here Tuesday during an assumption of command ceremony at the base Heritage Club.
Brig. Gen. Christopher R. Amrhein,
Air Force Recruiting Service commander, who took command of total force recruiting for the active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard components last week, presided over the ceremony.
“You are a respected leader in this command having served in Reserve recruiting both at the squadron and higher headquarters levels,” Amrhein said. “Trust your gut, keep being you. Your performance, leadership style and judgment have served you well over your career. Harness new skills and take this group to the next level. Recruiting to ensure combat readiness is a strategic imperative for our nation and you will be the most senior field commander making that happen. Bring your own leadership to further maximize the opportunities of identifying, attracting and engaging the Airmen and Guardians we need. We operate in wartime and peacetime as a total force and having you at the helm will be key to guarantee that we continue to recruit as a total force.”
For Coumbs, taking command of the 367th RCG is a bit of a homecoming as this is the third time she has relocated her family to Warner Robins, Georgia in support of her duty as a Reserve Citizen Airman.
“To the men and women of Air Force Reserve recruiting, I’m beyond excited to again serve and lead this remarkable family,” said Coumbs. “As America's premier recruiting force, you have a long legacy of professionalism and spirit, a legacy that I'm exceptionally honored to continue to build upon. You are the leading edge of ensuring Air Force Reserve combat capability. You're the lifeblood of our force. It starts with all of you.”
Coumbs went on to further acknowledge the challenges ahead as she begins her leadership role for the more than 400 field personnel she leads across a global recruiting force.
“I know we face a tougher recruiting environment than we've experienced in the past and we have pronounced challenges ahead, but we do tough things,” she said. “We do things that matter. I know all of us together, we're unstoppable. With a focus on our mission, our people will always be my priority. Any operational or strategic plan is nothing more than paper without people behind it, powering it. Our people are our greatest advantage and the element that elevates you above competitors to be America's premier recruiting force."
“You have my commitment to care for and to support you with purpose and sincerity,” Coumbs said. “Yours is truly a noble and critical mission, and I feel tremendously blessed to be selected as your commander. Together as a team, as a family, we will tackle and overcome difficulties and you will get my best every day.”
The 367th Recruiting Group is the distinguished Air Force Reserve Recruiting Group responsible for inspiring, engaging and recruiting future Airmen to deliver airpower for America. It is one of four recruiting groups aligned under the Air Force Recruiting Service’s Total Force recruiting initiative and includes 64 Military Entrance Processing Stations, 46 military and 14 civilian personnel with 426 field personnel over four recruiting squadrons (
350 RCS,
351 RCS,
352 RCS and
353 RCS) and is responsible for a 3.8 million square mile area of operation across the United States. Additionally, the 367th RCG covers an overseas area of operation of more than 570,000 square miles of territory across Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. [Text Wrapping Break]
To learn more about joining the Air Force Reserve and serving in one of more than 200 careers, visit
www.AFReserve.com or download the
AIM HIGH app. to speak with a recruiter in your local area.