Know MSG

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. R. Michael Longoria
  • 319th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Filled with an abundant amount of brown and orange football memorabilia, the office of the new 319th Mission Support Group commander is easily mistaken for the eastside section of the Cleveland Browns Stadium. Entering the office of Col. Tammy Knierim is like entering the "Dawg Pound."

Colonel Knierim is a football fanatic and "loyal to a fault" about her beloved Browns. The colonel remains optimistic about the team's future even though her team has only had two winning seasons in the past ten years.

"It's always a rebuilding year for us," she said.

Her passion for the Browns comes from growing up in Northeast Ohio. Colonel Knierim was born at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines but her parents moved to Conneaut, Ohio, when she was six months old. They made the move after her father got out of the military to help her grandfather run the family restaurant.

"Everybody knew everybody because it was a small, lake town," said the colonel. "It was a great place to grow up and I love going back there to visit."

The colonel went about 70 miles away from home to attend college at John Carroll University in Cleveland, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in History.

"Dorm life and living in Cleveland was a neat experience," she said. "It was at a time when the city was changing from a joke to a really nice place."

Although she enjoyed living the city life, Colonel Knierim traveled back home quite a bit to help out the family.

"It was close enough for me to go home, so I did," she said. "I would spend the weekends working at my dad's restaurant."

Working at the restaurant was fine but Colonel Knierim wanted more.

"I wanted to do something that mattered," she said. "I wanted to do something besides the traditional business route."

After receiving her degree, Colonel Knierim decided to join the military and knew that the Air Force was the only branch of service for her.

"My uncle served in the Marine Corps and he sent a Marine recruiter to see me while I was in college so that made choosing the Air Force even easier," she said laughingly.

Colonel Knierim earned her commission through the Officer Training School. And then went off to her first duty assignment, McGuire AFB, N.J. It was here that she met the love of her life, Col. Craig J. Knierim, and they have been married for 19 years. Her husband is still active-duty and is stationed at Scott AFB, Ill.

"We have been married 19 years and this is our first separate assignment," she said.

Despite being separated from her husband and pug, Hercules, she is enjoying her time at Grand Forks.

"This place is phenomenal," she said. "I don't know what I was expecting but when I came through the front gate I was impressed. This is the nicest base I've been stationed at in my career."

That is saying a lot because the colonel has been stationed at eight bases during her 21 year career. It isn't just the base that impresses her either, it's the people.

"The Warriors of the North are some of the nicest people I've ever met," she added. "I'm just amazed by everyone's positive attitudes."

Colonel Knierim assumed command of the 319th Mission Support Group from Col. Joseph Douez during a change of command ceremony here July 29. And now that she is getting settled in, it is time to get down to business.

The colonel's command philosophy is simple: provide focus, remove obstacles and get out of the way.

"Airmen get the job done," she said. "I'm just here to make sure they have what they need to do it."

And if there is a question, just ask.

"I'm very straightforward," said Colonel Knierim. "There is never a question as to where I stand on a topic."

Colonel Knierim has five focus areas for the Mission Support Group: develop and nurture Airmen and their families; prepare to deploy; provision for the base's future missions; installation stewardship; and community partnership.

"I won't maintain the status quo," she said. "I believe the best days and achievements of this base are ahead of it."

However, it isn't all work and no play with Colonel Knierim.

"I'm really into golfing, cycling and anything that gets me outside," she said. "I'm also thinking about getting some cross-country skis...I hear it snows a little around here."