LIEUTENANT COLONEL CAITLYN A. DEFABO
Lieutenant Colonel Caitlyn A. DeFabo is the Commander of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 730, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As Commander, Lt Col DeFabo also serves as Department Chair and Professor of Aerospace Studies. She commands a cadre of four officer and enlisted members responsible for officer education and training for AFROTC cadets from the University of Pittsburgh and 15 crosstown universities in the greater Pittsburgh area.
Lt Col DeFabo was born in Pierre, South Dakota. She commissioned through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Purdue University in 2009 and earned her wings at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas in August 2010. She has enjoyed assignments as Acting Deputy Division Chief, Flight Information Division at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Director of Operations for the 453d Electronic Warfare Squadron, Chief of Combat Plans at AFSOC Operations Center, Chief of Requirements of Wing Plans, and Chief of Tactics at the squadron level. Prior to her current position, Lt Col DeFabo was the Chief of Staff, Aeronautical Navigation Office at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Saint Louis, Missouri.
Lieutenant Colonel DeFabo is a senior combat systems officer with more than 1,500 hours. As an Electronic Warfare Officer on the MC-130H in special operations, she has deployed six times and participated in operations ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, RESOLUTE SUPPORT, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and other worldwide contingencies.
EDUCATION
2009 Bachelor of Science, Astronautical Engineering, Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana
2015 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2016 Master of Art Degree in Intelligence Studies, American Military University, Charles Town, West Virginia
2019 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2026 Air War College, by correspondence, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. May 2009 - August 2010, Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2. August 2010 - March 2011, Student, MC-130H Basic Qualification Course, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico
3. March 2011 - March 2014, Instructor Electronic Warfare Officer, Kadena Air Base, Japan
4. March 2014 - July 2015, Chief of Tactics, 15th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida
5. July 2015 - September 2017, Chief of Requirements, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida
6. September 2017 – June 2019, Deputy Chief of Combat Plans, Air Force Special Operations Command Operations
Center, Hurlburt Field, Florida
7. June 2019 - May 2020, Chief of Combat Plans, Air Force Special Operations Command Operations Center, Hurlburt
Field, Florida
8. May 2020 – April 2022, Assistant Director of Operations, 453d Electronic Warfare Squadron, Joint Base SanAntonio, Texas
9. April 2022 – July 2023, Director of Operations, 453d Electronic Warfare Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
10. July 2023 – May 2024, Acting Deputy Division Chief, Flight Information Division, National Geospatial-Intelligence
Agency, Saint Louis, Missouri
11. June 2024 – July 2026, Chief of Staff, Aeronautical Navigation Office, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency,
Saint Louis, Missouri
12. July 2026 – Present, Commander and Professor of Aerospace Studies, AFROTC Detachment 730, University of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Combat Systems Officer
Flight hours: 1544
Aircraft flown: MC-130H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2010 – Col Mike Gilroy Award for top EWO graduate
2010 – Jack Donovan Award for top CSO graduate
2016 – Squadron EWO of the Year
2020 – USAFWC ISR Operational Support Squadron of the Year
2021 – Squadron FGO of the Year
2022 – Association of Old Crows Military Service Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 2009
First Lieutenant May 27, 2011
Captain May 27, 2013
Major November 01, 2018
Lieutenant Colonel December 01, 2023
(CURRENT AS OF AUGUST 2026)
