Lt. Col. Karen M. Gharst is the Commander of 445th Maintenance Group, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The unit conducts maintenance and sortie generation for nine C-17 aircraft worth 2.3 billion dollars. She ensures the readiness and development of 350 Airmen from nine different career fields, enabling 4,500 flying hours a year supporting world-wide missions.
Colonel Gharst is a native of New Carlisle, Ohio and received her commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio June 2004. She has served in a wide range of leadership roles at the Squadron, Major Command, Air Staff and Combatant Command levels. Colonel Gharst has operational experience on B-52, F-16, C-17 aircraft and Minuteman III systems.
Additionally, she is an Acquisition Program Manager with experience managing modifications, research and development and production efforts on F-16, C-17, C-130J, C-5, Global Hawk and C-27J aircraft. She was deployed two times in support and U.S. Central Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command strategic objectives supporting Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and PACIFIC BOMBER PRESCENCE. Prior to her current role, Colonel Gharst served in as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Joint Logistics Operations Center at the United States Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.
EDUCATION
2011 Master of Business Administration, Trident University, Cypress, Calif.
2004 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
PROFESSIONAL MLIITARY EDUCATION
2005 Air and Space Basic Course, In-Residence, Maxwell Air Force Base Ala.
2010 Squadron Officer School, In-Residence, Maxwell Air Force Base Ala.
2015 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence, Maxwell Air Force Base Ala.
2021 Air War College, Correspondence, Maxwell Air Force Base Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2004 – May 2005, Armament Flight Commander, Minot AFB, N.D.
2. May 2005 – July 2006, Officer-in-Charge, Minuteman III Re-entry System Maintenance, Minot AFB, N.D.
3. July 2006 – September 2008, Conventional Munitions Flight Commander, Minot AFB N.D.
4. January 2008 – September 2008, Munitions Systems Flight Commander, Minot AFB, N.D.
5. September 2008 – September 2009, Executive Officer, C-17 Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. September 2009 – June 2011, C-17 Avionics Program Manager, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
7. June 2011 – July 2012, Executive Officer for Program Executive Officer/Mobility, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
8. July 2012 – October 2013, Acquisition Program Manager, LAIRCM Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
9. October 2013 – September 2016, Deputy Division Chief, Nuclear Operations/Maintenance, Air Force Materiel Command/A10I, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
10. September 2016 – May 2017, C-5 Developmental Program Manager, C-5 Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
11. May 2017 – July 2018, Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) to the Functional Authority Division, Air Force/A10, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
12. July 2018 – September 2019, Maintenance Operations Officer, 445th Maintenance Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
13. August 2019 – August 2021, Commander, 445th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
14. August 2021 – September 2022, IMA to the Chief, Joint Logistics Operations Center, United States Strategic Command J-4, Offutt AFB, Neb.
15. Sep 2022 – Sep 2024, Deputy Commander, 445th Maintenance Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
16. September 2024 – Present, Commander, 445th Maintenance Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with “N” Device
Air Force Expeditionary Service with Gold Border
Air Force Expeditionary Service
EFFECTIVE DATES OF RANK
Second Lieutenant July 7, 2004
First Lieutenant July 7, 2006
Captain July 7, 2008
Major June 20, 2014
Lieutenant Colonel September 13, 2020
(Current as of September 2024)