Tinker welcomes new commander

By Alyssa  Dalley-Schofield
Midwest City Beacon

Tinker Air Force Base welcomed a new commander last week.

Col. Abby Ruscetta took command of the 72nd Air Base Wing July 17 during a change of command ceremony at Tinker AFB.

“I am feeling so lucky, I just took over the best wing in the air force and I get to support the people and I am thrilled,” said Ruscetta.

Col. G. Hall Sebren, the former commander of the 72nd Air Base Wing, relinquished command during the ceremony.

Ruscetta has made Tinker Air Force Base home for the past five years. She previously served as vice commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex at Tinker.

“I am well aware of how amazing this base wing already is so I plan to carry on all the amazing things that Hall Sebren has done as the wing commander and just continue to move this wing forward supporting all the people on this base,” said Ruscetta.

Ruscetta has served in Germany, Korea and The Pentagon.

“I also was a Commander at Hill Air Force Base, I was also a Group Commander here previously and I also have some time in special operations, so I have lots of different homes but having lived here on Tinker Air Force Base for five years is the longest my family’s ever been anywhere so we’re really really lucky to get to serve two more years at Tinker,” said Ruscetta.

This exciting new role entails numerous responsibilities for Ruscetta.

“As the Air Base Wing Commander I have the honor to serve the 72nd Air Base Wing but I also have the honor to be the Installation Commander which will support 30,000 employees on Tinker Air

Force Base and over 45 different mission partners,” said Ruscetta. “It’s just an honor to be able to support all of those different missions on this base.”
Sebren will be moving into the role of Vice Commander for Lt. Gen. Stacey Hawkins in the Air Force Sustainment Center.