920th ASTS welcomes new commander

PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. — Col. Jennifer Ratcliff assumed command of 920th Aeromedical Staging Squadron during an assumption of command ceremony here, May 2, 2026.

An assumption of command is a military tradition that formally signifies the transfer of authority and responsibility from one commander to another, symbolized by the passing of the guidon.

Ratcliff commissioned in 1998 through Officer Training School at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, and has served in a variety of operational and medical leadership roles throughout her career. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the Medical College of Ohio and completed an orthopedic surgery residency at Upstate Medical University, followed by a sports medicine fellowship at Union Memorial Hospital. Her assignments include serving as a staff orthopedic surgeon and flight surgeon at multiple installations, as well as deployments supporting operations across several theaters. Most recently, she served as a senior medical leader at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command.

The ceremony was presided over by Col. John Bissell, 920th Rescue Wing commander, who passed the guidon to Ratcliff, symbolizing the official transfer of leadership.

“The 920th ASTS ensures our wounded are stabilized, protected and moved safely to higher levels of care. Our teams turn aircraft into flying intensive care units and provide time-sensitive, mission-critical care when it matters most. We will remain focused on protecting the mission, caring for our Airmen and sustaining a culture built on trust, accountability and readiness,” said Ratcliff.

The 920th ASTS includes Airmen with diverse medical specialties who support combat readiness, provide medical exams, immunizations, and occupational safety services for the 920th RQW. These Airmen oversee the health and medical preparedness of the entire wing and deploy personnel as needed for global patient movement.

The 920th Rescue Wing is Air Force Reserve Command’s only combat search and rescue wing, whose mission is to plan, lead and conduct military rescue operations to deny competitors and adversaries the exploitation of isolated personnel.