72nd MSG commander headed to Hawaii, PACAF assignment Published June 28, 2013 By Mike W. Ray Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Col. Julie Boit will relinquish command of the 72nd Mission Support Group on July 2 and move on to become the director of Manpower, Personnel, and Services in Pacific Air Forces, headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. As the MSG commander Colonel Boit has led nearly 1,500 military, civilian and contractor personnel who provide a wide range of customer service and support. The 72nd MSG areas of responsibility include base security and law enforcement, logistics, supply, transportation, readiness planning, military personnel, manpower, services, education and training, family support and professional military education. PACAF is comprised of four numbered Air Forces, nine main bases and nearly 375 aircraft. PACAF organizes, trains, and equips approximately 45,000 personnel to support the commander of United States Pacific Command. The command's area of responsibility extends from the west coast of the United States to the east coast of Asia and from the Arctic to the Antarctic, more than 100 million square miles. The area is home to nearly two billion people who live in 44 countries. "The A1 position in PACAF is a great job for me and I'm very excited about the opportunity," Colonel Boit said recently. "The men and women of the 72nd MSG are absolutely incredible, and it has been an honor and a privilege to be associated with them for the past two years," she said. "Julie is an inspirational leader," said Col. Steven Bleymaier, immediate past commander of the 72nd Air Base Wing and the installation. "It's clearly evident the men and women in the 72 MSG love what they do because of Colonel Boit's leadership; she makes work fun. Julie has improved everything in her area of responsibility and instilled a customer-focused approach in the Mission Support Group, while continuously striving to achieve 'art of the possible' results. Team Tinker is better because of Colonel Boit, and she will be missed." "Working with Colonel Boit has been a refreshing pleasure," said Lt. Col. Rick Johns, 72nd MSG deputy commander. "Her positive, can-do attitude is infectious. I've never met someone who cares more about her people and backs it up with action. She has been a leader, mentor and friend to all 1,475 members of the mighty 72nd MSG. From her 'more cowbell' spirit to her smile-inducing laugh to her overwhelming mission support drive, Colonel Boit has left her mark." Colonel Boit was commissioned upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1991. During her 22-year career she has served in a variety of personnel and force support assignments, including command at the flight, detachment, squadron and group levels, and has received numerous accolades. Besides assignments at Kelly AFB, Texas, Randolph AFB, Texas, Charleston AFB, S.C., and at Tinker, Colonel Boit has served tours overseas in South Korea, England, Italy and Germany. She also spent a year at the Pentagon with Headquarters U.S. Air Force. "I am most proud any time I see my Airmen and civilians do well," the colonel said. "Seeing them get promoted, win awards, earn higher-level recognition, excel at the mission, complete their degrees, accomplish seemingly impossible tasks -- basically, seeing them excel or reach their goals just makes me so proud." The Ladysmith, Wis., native earned a bachelor's degree in management at the Air Force Academy and a master's of business administration at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. She was a Distinguished Graduate of Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB, Ala. She also was a Distinguished Graduate at the U.S. Naval War College, where she received a master's degree in National Security and Strategic Studies and won the Military Officers Association of America 1st prize in 2006. In addition, she attended the Air War College and received its Excellence Award in 2010. Military service is somewhat of a tradition in Colonel Boit's family. Her father served in the Army during the Korean War, one of her brothers served active-duty in the Air Force and now is in the Wisconsin National Guard, her husband's grandfather spent 30 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, and her father-in-law was a doctor in the U.S. Navy. The change of command ceremony begins at 3 p.m. July 2 at the Tinker Club. She will be succeeded by Col. Todd Vician, who has been the director of Public Affairs for Headquarters Air Combat Command for the past year.