Colonel Shamekia N. Toliver serves as the Commander of the 42nd Air Base Wing and Installation Commander at Maxwell Air Force Base where she leads a team dedicated to supporting mission readiness and community partnerships. Responsible for all base operations, infrastructure and services, Colonel Toliver oversees the well-being of approximately 42,000 active- duty, Reserve, civilian and contract personnel, students and their families at Maxwell AFB and Gunter Annex. She has served in various roles and has deployed numerous times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
When did you join the Air Force?
I raised my right hand and entered the Air Force in 1994 as an enlisted Airman to serve my country. I was later selected for the Airman Scholarship Commissioning Program, through which I gained a commission via the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program in May 2002.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your work?
I would say taking care of people. I recently released my strategic plan, which emphasizes the importance of caring for our Airmen who work tirelessly to accomplish the mission every day.
What do you see as the most challenging part of your job or position?
The lack of time and resources. There are never enough hours in the day to complete all the tasks that need to be accomplished, and we often face challenges due to limited financial and personnel resources.
What’s on the horizon for the 42nd Air Base Wing and Maxwell AFB? We are focused on executing the newly released strategic plan for the wing. Over the next two years, this strategic plan keeps us accountable for the things we set out to accomplish and postures us to provide the best support to all our mission partners.
Can you share an impactful experience from your time in the Air Force?
When I was serving in the Republic of Korea, I was diagnosed with cancer. I had to figure out what that service component looked like because I still had a desire to serve, but I also had to learn how to take care of myself from a personal standpoint and focus on my personal resiliency.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in the Air Force?
The Air Force needs you. We need Airmen who have a vast amount of experience from all different walks of life. We need Airmen who possess the technical fortitude to come into our ranks and show us how to do things more efficiently, with more technological advancements, and to bring innovative ideas about how to do things better, cheaper and faster.
How do you balance the demands of service with family or personal life?
I think “balance” is not the best word to describe it. For me, it’s more like a pendulum. The pendulum swings, and I have to take the time to figure out where I need to be at any given point. Sometimes, I have to be that amazing Airman because that’s the demand that is needed at that moment. At other times, I have to be that amazing mom, wife, sibling or daughter and attend to all the things that come with life.
Best bit of business advice you’ve received?
I often share the story of “bloom where you are planted.” When I entered the Air Force, I was like a rough, unrefined seed, and the Air Force planted me where I was needed. The organization provided me with the necessary resources to grow.
What are you most proud of?
My children. They excel academically and are thriving in the classroom. Both of them are athletes, and they are also good citizens who make wise choices. The parenting that has shaped them, rooted in my 30-year marriage to my husband, play a significant role in why they have grown into kind and responsible individuals, and I am deeply proud of them.
Growth Through Service: My military service has given me a deeper understanding of what it truly means to serve others and allowed me to experience the concept of being part of something bigger than myself.
Personal Motto: “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.”
