Col. Sarah Isbill, center, assumed command of Air University Detachment 1 at the Air Force Institute of Technology on June 1. (U.S. Air Force photo by R.J. Oriez)

Col. Sarah Isbill assumed command of Air University Detachment 1 at the Air Force Institute of Technology on June 1.

“I am very excited to be working with you,” said Isbill during her remarks. “I look forward to great progress as we press on with our unique mission.”

As the senior military leader, she is responsible for the good order and discipline for approximately 1,800 active duty faculty, staff, and students. In addition to her commander duties, Isbill serves as the director of staff at AFIT where she leads the strategic vision and tactical decisions of the Institute.

During the ceremony, Lt. Gen. James Hecker, president and commander of Air University highlighted Isbill’s career progression from attending the United States Air Force Academy to five years of command in three different organizations, and then returning to USAFA as a faculty member. “When you look at her career, first thing you notice is she was number one at everything she did,” said Hecker. “She is prepared. She is ready to do this.”

Isbill entered the Air Force in 2001 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Her career has included security forces assignments at several locations, as well as a teaching assignment at USAFA. While assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as an action officer at Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, she earned a master’s degree in chemistry from Wright State University in 2011. She has also served on deployments to Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kuwait.

AFIT is the Department of the Air Force’s leader for advanced, multi-disciplinary academic education and technical professional continuing education. A component of Air University and Air Education and Training Command, AFIT employs more than 750 military and civilian faculty and staff members and manages a $224.2M annual budget. AFIT provides professional continuing education for nearly 36,000 students and graduate education to more than 1,000 students annually. In addition, AFIT's Civilian Institutions Program Office manages approximately 2,500 students enrolled in a variety of health profession programs and another 1,000 line, legal and chaplain officers enrolled in various programs at leading civilian universities and research centers.