Col. Kathryn Gaetke is the Commander of the 51st Operations Group, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Col Gaetke received her commission in 2002 through Air Force ROTC at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. She has flown F-16s in Air Combat Command, Pacific Air Forces, and Air Education and Training Command, and is a graduated F-16 squadron commander.
Col Gaetke is a command pilot with more than 1,900 flying hours in the Block 25, 30, 40, 42, 50, and 52 F-16, including 249 combat hours in Iraq and Afghanistan. She is a graduate of the Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, served as an executive officer to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and taught leadership and diplomacy courses as an Air Force Fellow at Georgetown University. Prior to her current assignment, Col Gaetke served as the 7th Air Force Director of Operations and Plans.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
2003 Air & Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL
2014 Master of Military Operational Art & Science, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Master of Military Art & Science, School of Advanced Military Studies, Ft. Leavenworth, KS
2021 Air Force Fellow, Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
2023 Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, VA
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Feb 2003 – Mar 2004, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK
2. Apr 2004 – May 2005, Student, F-16 Fighter Training Unit, 63FS, Luke AFB, AZ
3. Jun 2005 – Apr 2007, F-16 Flight Lead, Asst Chief Sq Weapons, 523FS, Cannon AFB, NM
4. May 2007 – May 2008, F-16 Mission Commander, Chief Sq Training, 36FS, Osan AB, ROK
5. Jun 2008 – Jul 2010, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, 61FS, Luke AFB, AZ
6. Aug 2010 – Aug 2011, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Air to Air Subject Matter Expert, 56TRS, Luke AFB, AZ
7. Aug 2011 – Jul 2013, F-16 Flight Examiner, Asst Director of Operations, 14FS, Misawa AB, Japan
8. Aug 2013 – Jun 2014, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
9. Jun 2014 – May 2015, Student, School of Advanced Military Studies, Ft Leavenworth, KS
10. Jun 2015 – Jun 2016, Director of Operations, 425FS, Luke AFB, AZ
11. Jun 2016 – Jun 2018, Commander, 309FS, Luke AFB, AZ
12. Jul 2018 – Aug 2019, Operations Officer, Nuclear Operations Division: Nuclear Operations, Space
Operations, and Homeland Defense Directorate (J36), the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
13. Sep 2019 – Jul 2020, Deputy Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the
Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
14. Aug 2020 – Jul 2021, Air Force Fellow, Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, Georgetown
University, Washington, DC
15. Jul 2021 – June 2022, Chief of Plans and Strategy, Operations and Plans Division (A3/A5), 7th Air
Force, Osan AB, ROK
16. Jul 2022 – June 2023, Director of Operations and Plans (A3/A5), 7th Air Force, Osan AB, ROK
17. June 2023 – present, Commander, 51 Operations Group, Osan AB, ROK
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,100
Aircraft flown: F-16, T-38, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, 06 Jul 2002
First Lieutenant, 06 Jul 2004
Captain, 06 Jul 2006
Major, 01 Aug 2012
Lieutenant Colonel, 01 Dec 2016
Colonel, 01 Apr 2022
(Current as of June 2023)