Headquarters RIO hosts assumption of command

Published June 25, 2015
By Tech. Sgt. Rob Hazelett
Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Col. Carolyn Stickell formally assumed command as the Headquarters Individual Reservist Readiness and Integration Organization commander during a ceremony held here June 24, 2015.

Stickell became the second commander of HQ RIO following Col. Christopher Cronce’s move to the Pentagon, where he is now the deputy director for Reserve Personnel. Cronce had been the HQ RIO commander since its activation Oct. 28, 2014.

The ceremony was presided over by Brig. Gen. Samuel "Bo" Mahaney, Air Reserve Personnel Center commander.

“Col. Cronce did a wonderful job bringing HQ RIO from nothing to a full-fledged organization. His execution of the standup was as close to perfect as anyone could expect. He showed superior agility in confronting challenges and his relationship with the handoff from the Reserve Management Group was impeccable,” he said. “Col. Stickell brings years of experience as an IMA and a strategic perspective that has been perfected during her time at ARPC.”

Mahaney said HQ RIO, like ARPC, is shaping the future by focusing the creation of an effortless customer experience, thereby enabling the Air Force to focus on the mission to fly, fight, and win.

As the HQ RIO commander, Stickell is responsible for the readiness, accountability, personnel and administrative servicing of more than 8,500 Individual Reservists worldwide.

Before coming to HQ RIO, she served the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the ARPC vice commander, an assistant professor of finance at the U.S. Air Force Academy, an acquisition program manager, resource manager, executive officer and manpower officer. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in finance and a Master of Business Administration degree, both from the University of Colorado.

Stickell, an IMA for 15 years, said she looks forward to working with her HQ RIO team members.

“I’m really excited to be coming on board as part of HQ RIO. I understand many of the challenges IRs face in their careers and the importance of supporting them and their active duty units,” she said. “Unlike traditional Reservists, who are assigned to Reserve units that regularly perform duty together, IRs work with their active-duty supervisors to create a custom duty schedule to meet mission requirements.”

She said as the new organization matures, it will continue to evaluate and streamline processes, ensuring the Air Force has an efficient, well-equipped and battle-ready individual reserve force.

HQ RIO first opened its doors for business and began assuming the management of the individual reserve force, Feb. 1, 2014. The transition continued over the next several months, with the Readiness Management Group inactivating at the end of September. Additionally, the 15 RMG detachments were restructured into seven detachments and eight geographically separated operating locations.