927th Aerospace Medicine Flight Receives New Commander Published Aug. 6, 2009 By Capt. Shane O. Huff 927 Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Colonel Maria D. Rodriguez assumed command of the 927th Aerospace Medicine Flight (AMDF) Sunday during an assumption of command ceremony held at the 6th Air Mobility Wing Clinic. The 927 Air Refueling Wing Commander, Colonel Kenneth D. Lewis, Jr., passed the AMDF flag to Colonel Rodriguez signifying her acceptance of this position. As the AMDF commander Rodriguez is responsibile for all the activities of a medical unit whose primary mission is to provide long term force sustainability through occupational health and preventative medicine to in-place and deployed population and provide rapid response emergency medical support, including combat stress management within or forward of an established health care system. In her acceptance speech Rodriguez said that she is glad to be here with the 927th AMDF. "The people here are willing, committed, and motivated and we are going to take it to the next level of excellence in supporting the wing and the Air Force mission," said Rodriguez. In previous assignments Rodriguez has served as Chief of Bioenvironmental Engineering Services and Chief of Public Health. She is an International Health Specialist and has supported more than eight medical Humanitarian Civic Action missions to Central and South America.