Alleycats get new commander

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Danielle Hill
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. --  Lieutenant Col. David Hammack relinquished command of the 48th Flying Training Squadron to Lt. Col. Kelly Menozzi Thursday during a ceremony at Columbus Air Force Base's hangar 7. 

Before taking command of the 48th FTS, Colonel Menozzi was the Director of Operations for the14th Operations Support Squadron. She is a senior pilot with more than 3,000 flying hours in the C-21, KC-135R/T and T-1. She has been stationed in Virginia, Idaho, the United Kingdom and Washington, D.C. Her military decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal. 

Colonel Hammack, a command pilot with more than 4,900 flying hours, will now work in the 14th Operations Group until his retirement in May. 

The mission of the 48th FTS "Alley Cats" is to produce the best combat ready tanker and airlift pilots for the Air Force. The tanker and airlift track is the third and final phase of specialized undergraduate pilot training. Students receive a minimum of 159 hours of dual flight instruction in the Beech T-1A Jayhawk. Students learn air refueling procedures, tactical low-level navigation, airdrop and advanced navigation, with an emphasis on crew resource management. Upon completion of this phase, students earn the aeronautical rating of pilot and receive their coveted Air Force wings.