Col. Adam Gaudinski is the Commander, 173d Fighter Wing, Kingsley Field, Oregon. The Colonel commands the U.S. Air Force’s sole source of F-15C pilot production, tasked to train the world’s greatest air superiority fighter pilots. As such he leads over 1,100 personnel including the 110-member active association from Luke Air Force Base and is responsible for 23 total inventory and 26 primary assigned F-15 aircraft. Furthermore, Colonel Gaudinski is the Oregon Air National Guard State Partnership Program Air Lead and Senior Advisor for Vietnam and Bangladesh responsible for joint, multilateral efforts in the INDOPACOM region.
Colonel Gaudinski graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2003 and was a four-year Division 1 lacrosse scholar-athlete. He completed undergraduate pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi in 2005 and was hand-picked to return as a T-37 and T-6 instructor pilot for his first assignment. In a joint billet, he was selected to support Joint Counter-Narcoterrorism contingency operations for SOUTHCOM and SOCOM in Central and South America.
Colonel Gaudinski is an F-15C Instructor Pilot with over 3,800 total flying hours and has participated in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, ATLANTIC RESOLVE, INHERENT RESOLVE, NOBLE EAGLE, and AMERICAN RESOLVE. Prior to his current position, the Colonel was the Commander, 173d Maintenance Group, Kingsley Field, Oregon.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2013 Master of Business Administration, American University, Washington, DC.
2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2022 Commanders Leadership Course, Washington, D.C.
2022 Safety Board Presidents Course, Washington, D.C.
2023 Joint and Combined Warfighter School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
- September 2003 – November 2003, Student Pilot, Introductory Flight Training, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
- February 2004 – February 2005, Student Pilot, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
- March 2005 – July 2005, T-37 Instructor Pilot Training, 559th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
- July 2005 – May 2007, T-37B Instructor Pilot, 37 FTS, Columbus AFB, Miss.
- September 2006 – January 2007, Joint Task Force- Bravo Counter-Narco Terrorism Officer/Air Liaison, Soto Cano Air Base, Comayagua, Honduras
- May 2007 – July 2007, T-6A Pilot Instructor Training, 559 FTS, Randolph AFB, Texas
- July 2007 – August 2008, T-6A Instructor Pilot, 37 FTS, Columbus AFB, Miss.
- August 2008 – October 2008, Student Pilot, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, 49 FTS, Columbus AFB, Miss.
- October 2008 – June 2009, F-15 Student Pilot, 2d Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
- August 2009 – February 2010, Chief of Standardization Evaluation Liaison Officer, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
- February 2010 – November 2010, F-15 Flight Lead/Chief of Training, Kadena AB, Okinawa Japan
- November 2010 – January 2012, Flight Commander, 44 FS, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
- January 2012 – June 2012, F15, Instructor Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, Kadena AB, Okinawa Japan
- June 2012 – November 2012, F-15 Instructor Pilot, Chief of Syllabus, 433d Weapons Squadron, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- November 2012 – September 2013, Assistant Director of Operations, 433 WS, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- September 2013 – Aug 2014, Flight Commander, 433 WS, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- August 2014 – January 2015, Flight Commander, 114th Fighter Squadron, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- January 2015 – January 2016, Scheduling, 114 FS, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- January 2016 – July 2017, Chief of Scheduling, 114 FS, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
12. July 2017 – August 2018, Assistant Director of Operations, 114 FS, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- August 2018 – August 2019, 173d Operations Support Officer, 173d Operations Group, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- August 2019 – September 2021, Director of Operations, 173 OSS, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- September 2020 – May 2022, Commander, 173d Maintenance Squadron, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- May 2022 – October 2024, Commander, 173d Maintenance Group, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
- November 2024 – Present, Commander, 173d Fighter Wing, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight Hours: more than 3,800
Aircraft Flown: F-15C/D, T-37B, T-6A, T-38C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with six oak leaf clusters Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korean Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air and Space Overseas Ribbon Short Air and Space Overseas Ribbon Long
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Air and Space Longevity Service with four oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (Pistol)
Air Force Training Ribbon
Oregon National Guard Superior Unit Citation
Oregon Superior Airmen Ribbon
Oregon Faithful Service Medal with three devices
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2005 Military Training Award / Top Gun, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training
2007 14th Flying Training Wing Instructor Pilot of the Year
2010 18th Fighter Wing Company Grade Officer of the Year
2018 173d Fighter Wing Instructor Pilot of the Year
2018 173d Fighter Wing Field Grade Officer of the Year
2018 Oregon Air National Guard Instructor Pilot or the Year
2018 Oregon Air National Guard Field Grade Officer of the Year
2018 Air Force Field Grade Officer of the Year
2018 Air National Guard Instructor Pilot of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 2003
First Lieutenant May 28, 2005
Captain May 28, 2007
Major Aug. 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 11, 2018
Colonel May 26, 2022
(Current as of November 2024)