LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.-- Col. Becky Beers assumed command of the 61st Air Base Group, the host unit of Los Angeles Air Force Base, home of the U.S. Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center, July 15 in a ceremony held in the Gordon Conference Center.
Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, SMC commander, presided over the ceremony, during which Col. Ann Igl relinquished command.
Igl’s retirement ceremony was held the following day where she expressed her excitement at spending more time with her family.
As the newest commander of the 61st ABG, Beers is responsible for leading five squadrons and six staff agencies consisting of over 850 active duty and civilian personnel, with $1.3 billion in physical plant assets, and manages an annual budget of $60 million.
The 61st ABG provides medical, civil engineering, communications, chaplain, security, logistics, personnel, readiness, and quality-of-life services to SMC and many other Department of Defense units in the Los Angeles area. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the 61st ABG has also provided crucial public health and readiness services to thousands of current and former DoD personnel, all while continuing to provide many of its key pre-pandemic services such as operating the base commissary, clinic, day care, and much more.
Prior to this assignment, Beers was stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, where she served as the 16th Air Force Chief of Cyber Operations. Under her leadership, personnel conducted offensive and defensive cyberspace operations in support of Air Force and Combatant Command missions.
Beers, who began her Air Force career as a ROTC cadet at the University of Southern California, said she is incredibly honored to be the new commander of the 61st ABG and is eager to get to work.
“My husband and I are excited to be a part of the amazing 61st Air Base Group, supporting SMC’s mission that is so vital to our national security,” said Beers.