JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
The Airmen of the 433rd Force Support Squadron are under new leadership, as Maj. Thanya Martinez assumed command of the squadron in a traditional change of command ceremony Oct. 3.
Col. Wayne M. Williams, 433rd Mission Support Group commander, officiated the ceremony as Maj. Robin Ecks relinquished command. Ecks will soon begin an Individual Mobilization Augmentee position at the Air Reserve Personnel Center.
For Martinez, the move is a promotion from the operations officer position she held with the FSS since October 2018. In her new role as commander, she’ll lead a squadron responsible for the readiness of 3,600 Airmen and their families.
“Major Martinez is ready, and she’s the right officer to take this guide-on today and lead the FSS forward into the next chapter in its story,” said Williams, speaking to a limited in-person audience. “She possesses a wealth of experience, poise, talent, and commitment to Airmen that I know will lead the FSS to new heights.”
Martinez joined the 433rd FSS in July 2017 as the sustainment services flight commander, a position she previously held at the 60th FSS at Travis Air Force Base, California.
“I feel honored and proud because I know the work that these men and women accomplish day in and day out,” Martinez said. “I’ve been with them for a little longer than most incoming commanders get to experience when they come to a new unit.”
Martinez was born in Veracruz, Mexico, and raised in Houston, Texas. She enlisted in the Air Force in 2002 and attended the United States Air Force Academy two years later, graduating and receiving her commission in May 2009. As a traditional reservist, Martinez is a project manager of international operations at an upstream oil and gas company.
The ceremony was live-streamed for friends, family, and Airmen unable to attend the ceremony. Participants and those who could be in attendance followed COVID-19 protocol, wearing masks, and following social distancing guidelines.