COLONEL ERIES L. G. MENTZER

Colonel Eries L. G. Mentzer is the Commander, 42nd Air Base Wing, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. She leads all base operating, infrastructure and services support for 42,000 active duty, Reserve, civilian, and contract personnel, students, and families at Maxwell and Gunter Annex in direct support of Air University, 908th Airlift Wing, Air Force Materiel Command units, Defense Information Systems Agency and more than 40 other mission partners. As Maxwell’s installation commander, she partners with local officials across a three-county, 12-city region with an annual military economic impact of $1.2 billion. Colonel Mentzer commissioned in 1997 graduating with academic distinction from the University of Nebraska. She has served as an Air Force Intern for the Deputy Secretary of Defense, a Major Command Legislative Liaison, a Squadron Commander in Southwest Asia, a Joint Staff Planner, an Executive Officer to the Joint Staff Director, Chief Speechwriter to the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, Executive Officer to the Air Force Chief of Staff, a Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars National Defense Fellow, and as the Vice Commander of a Navy-led Joint Base. Prior to her current position, she led the Air Force Transition Team, coordinating all ceremonial and administrative milestones to retire the 21st and appoint the 22nd Air Force Chief of Staff.

CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT LEE E. HOOVER JR.

Chief Master Sergeant Lee E. Hoover Jr. is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, 42nd Air Base Wing, Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Alabama. He is responsible to the 42nd Air Base Wing Commander for expeditionary readiness, professional development, effective utilization and mission effectiveness of the base’s enlisted Airmen. He directs all base enlisted recognition and professional development programs and advises the commander on all matters affecting the health, morale, welfare, discipline and fitness of enlisted personnel. He provides guidance and expertise in enlisted force leadership to two group and seven squadron commanders as well as ten staff agency chiefs. He is responsible for the quality of life for more than 4,685 assigned military and civilian personnel on Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex.Chief Hoover grew up in Snohomish, Washington and enlisted in the Air Force in January 2001 as a broadcast journalist. He served in multiple capacities as a broadcast journalist, including assignments as a News Director and an AFN Detachment Superintendent. He has completed overseas tours in Turkey and Japan, and has served on the Headquarters Air Force Staff in the Pentagon, Virginia. He has also deployed in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. Prior to assuming his current position he served as the Senior Enlisted Leader of the White House Military Office, Policy, Plans and Requirements Division in Washington, D.C.