Colonel Keith A. Chikasawa

Colonel Keith A. Chikasawa is the commander of the 163d Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, March Air Reserve Base, Calif. He leads the California Air National Guard's exclusive MQ-9A Reaper operations unit, leading a team of over 900 personnel in providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support, as well as tactical combat support, to commanders and war fighters around the world.

Colonel Chikasawa is a 1991 graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University-San Diego where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. In 1996, he joined the 146th Airlift Wing of the California Air National Guard to fly C-130 tactical airlift aircraft.  Since 2003, he has deployed five times with the 146th Airlift Wing in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and NOBLE EAGLE. Colonel Chikasawa is a graduate of the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training School and is a two time Distinguished Graduate from C-130 formal courses at Little Rock Air Force Base.

Colonel Chikasawa is a command pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours including 295 combat hours. He has served in various capacities at the squadron and operational level, including a joint assignment as Director of Operations for Joint Counterdrug Reconnaissance Operations. Prior to his current position, Colonel Chikasawa was the Commander, 146th Airlift Wing, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, California. He is also an American Airlines pilot currently on military leave. Colonel Chikasawa is married to the former Jennifer Martorano and has two children.

EDUCATION

1991 Point Loma Nazarene University, Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, San Diego, California

1993 Academy of Military Science, McGhee-Tyson Air National Guard Base, Knoxville, Tennessee

1999 Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center course, St Joseph’s ANG Base, Missouri

2003 AATTC Night Vision Device, Armstrong Lab Instructor Course, St Joseph’s ANG, Base Missouri

2005 Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

2011 Air Command and Staff College (IDE), Maxwell AFB Ala., by correspondence

2012 Safety and Accident Board President Course, Peterson AFB, Colorado

2016 Air War College (SDE), Maxwell AFB Ala., by correspondence

2019 Dual Status Commander Qualification Program (DSCA & JTF/CC), Northern Command, Colorado

2019 Joint Task Force Commander Training Course, Northern Command, Colorado

ASSIGNMENTS

1. January 1993 - February 1993, Academy of Military Science, McGhee-Tyson ANGB, Knoxville, Tennessee

2. February 1993 - March 1994, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma

3. March 1994 - September 1996, Co-Pilot, Scheduler, 161st Air Refueling Wing, Phoenix, Arizona

4. September 1996 - September 1999, Co-Pilot, Scheduler, 115th Airlift Squadron, CIANGS, California

5. September 1999 - December 2002, Operations Officer, Joint Counterdrug, CIANGS, California

6. December 2002 - June 2003, Chief of Training, 115th Airlift Squadron, CIANGS, California

7. June 2003 - December 2006, Chief of Current Operations, 115th Airlift Squadron, CIANGS, California

8. December 2006 - February 2012, Chief of Safety, 146th Airlift Wing, CIANGS, California

9. March 2012 - February 2013, Standards and Evaluations, 146th Operations Group, CIANGS, California

10. February 2013 - October 2013, Director of Operations, 115th Airlift Squadron, CIANGS, California