446th AES welcomes new commander, Pope Alumna

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Ann Butler
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. - The 446th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron welcomed a new commander April 30, 2022, on McChord Field at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

Lt. Col. Carolyn Concia became the AES commander during an assumption of command ceremony.

“I think everyone here knows how to do their job, and I just want to make sure that they have the support they need to continue doing amazing things,” Concia said.

Encouraging and equipping the squadron will also be priorities for the new commander.

“I really want to just lift the squadron up and give them consistency and the support they need as well as equip them with the tools to do their jobs and to do it well,” she said.

Concia is no stranger to the mission of the unit.

As a flight nurse with the squadron, she deployed in support of COVID operations. As an air evacuation team leader, she oversaw the transportation of patients from all parts of the globe while ensuring the welfare and training of the nurses and technicians on her crew.

Before she joined 446 AES, Concia served as a flight nurse at Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina.

The 446 AES’ mission is to evacuate sick and injured Department of Defense patients from harm's way and transfer them to an environment that will support their recovery during wartime, peacetime and humanitarian operations.