Lieutenant Colonel Caitlyn A. DeFabo is the Chief of Staff, Aeronautical Navigation Office at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Saint Louis, Missouri. She supports the Director and Deputy Director, leading 300+ civilian and military aeronautical analysts in development and production of Department of Defense aeronautical navigation products. She advises Office and Division leaders on military matters and represents the Office Director at international, Joint, and inter-agency meetings and conferences to facilitate worldwide Aeronautical Safety of Navigation (SoN) procedures and processes. Lieutenant Colonel DeFabo assists aeronautical production coordination between NGA, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and FVEY and commercial partners. She represents NGA in national, international, civil, and military aviation working groups to ensure coordination and policy and procedure integration, training requirements, operational plans, and technology development.
Lieutenant Colonel 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. As an Electronic Warfare Officer on the MC-130H, she has enjoyed assignments in special operations, participating in operations ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, RESOLUTE SUPPORT, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and other worldwide contingencies. Lieutenant Colonel DeFabo served 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. She is a senior combat systems officer with more than 1,500 hours.
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
ASSIGNMENTS
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 San Antonio, 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 – Present, Chief of Staff, Aeronautical Navigation Office, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Saint Louis, Missouri
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Combat Systems Officer
Flight hours: 1544
Aircraft flown: MC-130H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force 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 February 2025)
