Megan G. Malcom promoted to Full Bird Colonel

Terry and Naomi Malcom of Limon, CO. are pleased to announce that on August 7, 2025 the United States Air Force promoted their daughter, Megan G. Malcom to Colonel.

In addition, Colonel Malcom's entire family joined her for an Assumption of Command ceremony at Homestead Air Force Base, Homestead, Florida on September 6, 2025. The 482nd Medical Squadron welcomed their new commander during an official ceremony at Homestead Air Reserve Base. Col. Nathan J List, 482nd Mission Support Group Commander, presided over the event and passed the squadron's guidon to Col. Megan G. Malcom, signifying the transfer of authority and responsibility. This is Megan's second Assumption of Command. She was previously the Commander of the 926th Aerospace Medical Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nevada from March 2024-August 2025

Col. Malcom has had a diverse career in roles as a traditional Reservist and as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Commander of the 99th Medical Support Squadron, Nellis AFB, under the Defense Health Agency. Her duties included support towards Resource Management-Manpower, Group Practice Management, Medical Readiness, Medical Logistics, and Medical Information Systems.

Col. Malcom began her Air Force career as a cadet in the U.S. Air Force Academy. Upon graduation, she joined the Medical Service Corps and served on active duty for 13 years. She held Flight Commander positions in Medical Information Systems, Medical Readiness, Aeromedical Evacuation, Resources Management and Group Practice Management at Headquarters Air Force, Group and Squadron levels. While on duty she deployed to Afghanistan as an Embedded Training Team mentor to the Afghan National Army and served as a combat medic on convoys covering 1400 miles of known insurgent territory. She also took four tours to the Horn of Africa for Aeromedical Evacuation missions as well as proving the concept of the Ground Surgical Team (GST) to the Special Operations community to advance capabilities and reach. Col. Malcom has supported and led several missions to South Comm for medical humanitarian needs and establishing emergency response capabilities. Throughout her career, she has supported Operations including, ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE and IRAQI FREEDOM.

Megan's Uncle, Retired Lt. Colonel Robert Butler, USAF, clarified to the family what her promotion to Colonel fully means. The U.S. military's "full Colonel" insignia is a silver eagle with a U.S. shield on its chest, holding an olive branch in one talon and a bundle of arrows in the other. This design, known as a "full-bird colonel," is a simplified version of the eagle on the Great Seal of the United States of America and symbolizes the rank of Colonel (O-6). Congratulations Megan! Bob commissioned Megan when she graduated from the U. S. Air Force Academy in 2006. Megan is also a 2001 graduate of Limon High School.

Please join us in congratulating Col. Megan Malcom as she bears the "full bird Colonel" insignia for the USAF and as she assumes command of the 482nd MDS (Medical Squadron). Megan will proudly continue the squadron's tradition of excellence in supporting the mission.