Colonel Carol J. Kohtz is the Commander, 149th Fighter Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. She is responsible for organizing, training and equipping over 1,070 personnel for worldwide deployment and flying training operations. The wing’s various missions include F-16 initial qualification training with 28 assigned aircraft, defensive cyber operations, CBRN emergency response operations, security forces Desert Defender ground combat training, air base defense and heavy weapons employment, combat weather support to the US Army, and air-to-ground bombing range operation and management. The 149th Fighter Wing also provides ready forces to the Governor and the Texas Military Department to aid in domestic disaster response and defense support of civil authorities.
Col Kohtz received her commission from the Academy of Military Science in 2002 after graduating from the University of North Dakota. She has served in numerous operational, command and joint assignments at the squadron, wing, major command, combatant command and joint staff levels. Her assignments include extensive joint duty as Joint Staff liaison for FEMA national disaster response, team lead for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s COVID response and crisis management operations and Division Chief, NORAD & USNORTHCOM. Col Kohtz has deployed in support of worldwide combat, contingency and training missions including operations Iraqi Freedom, Noble Eagle, Atlantic Resolve as well as expeditionary training in support of the Republic of South Korea. She was awarded a Master of Business Administration from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. in 2016 and a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy from National Defense University in 2019. Col Kohtz is a command pilot with more than 1,500 flying hours in the F-15C and F-16, including 168 combat hours. Prior to her current assignment, Colonel Kohtz served as Director of Safety, Air National Guard, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
EDUCATION:
1999 Bachelor of Science, Aeronautical Science, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D.
2002 Academy of Military Science, McGhee-Tyson ANGB, Knoxville, Tenn.
2007 USAF Mishap Investigation / Flight Safety Officer Course, Air Force Safety Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 USAF Planning Programming Budgeting & Execution Course, Defense Acquisition University, Pentagon City, Va.
2013 Contingency Wartime Planning Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley McNair, Washington, D.C.
2016 Master of Business Administration, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2016 ANG Squadron Commanders Course, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2016 Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2018 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Ft. Lesley McNair, Washington, D.C.
2022 ANG Commander Leadership Course, Temple Army Readiness Center, Arlington, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. March 2002 - April 2003, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. July 2003 - September 2003, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Moody AFB, Ga.
3. October 2003 - July 2004, Student, F-16 Initial Qualification, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. July 2004 - October 2008, F-16 Flight Lead, 186th Fighter Squadron, Great Falls International Airport, Mont. (May - June 2006, F-16 Pilot, 186th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, Korea) (February - March 2007, F-16 Pilot, 107th EFS, Balad AB, Iraq) (April - May 2008, F-16 Pilot, 186th EFS, Balad AB, Iraq)
5. October 2008 - March 2009, F-15C Transition Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
6. March 2009 - May 2010, F-15C Flight Lead, 186th Fighter Squadron, Great Falls International Airport, Mont.
7. May 2010 - October 2012, Director of Operations, F-15C Det-1, 120th Fighter Wing, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
8. October 2012 - July 2014, Combat Aviation Plans Officer, Combat Operations Division, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md. (October 2013 - July 2014, Action Officer, CSAF’s Total Force Continuum, HAF/A8 Strategy Division, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.)
9. July 2014 - March 2015, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
10. March 2015 - March 2016, CAF Program Element Monitor, NGB/A8 Programs Division, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md. (May - June 2015, F-15C Pilot, 159th EFS, Graf Ignatievo AB, Bulgaria)
11. March 2016 - July 2018, Commander, 173d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Kingsley Field, Ore. (March 2018, Expeditionary Maintenance Group Commander, Ex NORTHERN EDGE, Eielson AFB, Alaska)
12. July 2018 - June 2019, Student, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. June 2019 - July 2020, Joint Staff Liaison to FEMA, J35 Regional Ops Officer, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. July 2020 - September 2022, Chief, Domain Awareness Division, Operations Directorate, NORAD, Peterson SFB, Colo.
15. September 2022 - June 2023, Director of ANG Safety, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
16. June 2023 - Present, Wing Commander, 149th Fighter Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas SUMMARY OF JOINT
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS:
1. June 2019 - July 2020, Regional Operations Officer and FEMA Liaison (J3), the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
2. Aug 2020 - Sep 2022, Chief, Domain Awareness Division, Operations, NORAD, Peterson SFB, Colo., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 1500
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16C/D, F-15C/D
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with three oak leaf clusters)
Air Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal (with one service star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant Feb. 23, 2002
First Lieutenant Feb. 22, 2004
Captain Feb. 22, 2006
Major May 2, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 22, 2015
Colonel Aug. 1, 2020
(Current as of June 2023)