Colonel Chris Lacouture is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander of 20th Air Force. He assists the Commander lead the more than 12,000 Airmen providing nuclear global strike and nuclear weapons sustainment for the U.S. Air Force.
The Colonel earned his commission in 1996 from the Air Force Academy. He attended SUPT at Vance Air Force Base and Fort Rucker. Colonel Lacouture served on Active Duty for more than 15 years before joining the Air Force Reserve as an Air Reserve Technician in 2011. He has seen worldwide duty in Air Force Reserve Command, Air Force Education and Training Command, Indo-Pacific Command, Air Combat Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Mobility Command, and Africa Command. He has served as a wing, group, and squadron commander, Numbered Air Force Staff Officer, unit and group standardization and evaluation pilot, flight commander, and safety officer. Colonel Lacouture is a command pilot with more than 3,800 total hours including 120 combat hours.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science in Management, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO 2001 Masters of Business Administration, University of Maryland University College, College Park, MD 2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence. 2008 Flight Safety Officer Course, Kirtland AFB, NM 2011 Combined Air Operations Center Initial Qualification Personnel Recovery Course, Hurlburt Field, FL 2011 Personnel Recovery Planning Course, Joint Personnel Recovery Agency, Fredericksburg, VA
2012 Advanced Instrument School, Randolph AFB, TX. 2016 Air War College, by correspondence
2017 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C. 2018 Joint Combined Warfare School – Hybrid, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
2021 AFRC Group and Wing Commanders Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1996 - March 1997, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, OK
2. March 1997 - October 1997, Student, Rotary-Wing Pilot Training, Ft Rucker, AL
3. October 1997 - February 1998, Student, UH-1N Initial Qualification Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
4. February 1998 - April 2001, Chief of Plans, 1 HS, Andrews AFB, MD
5. April 2001 - November 2001, HH-60G Initial Qualification Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
6. November 2001 - December 2004, Mobility Officer, 66 RQS, Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, NV
7. December 2004 - December 2007, Flight Commander and Resource Advisor, 66RQS, Kadena AB, Japan
8. December 2007 - November 2011, Deputy Chief Group Stan/Eval, 58 OG, Kirtland AFB, NM
9. November 2011 - February 2013, Chief Squadron Stan/Eval, 301 RQS, Patrick AFB, FL
10. February 2013 - June 2015, Asst. Director of Operations, 301 RQS Patrick AFB, FL
11. June 2015 - December 2016, Commander, 920 OSS, Patrick AFB, FL
12. December 2016 - June 2017, Commander 920 OG, Patrick AFB, FL
13. June 2017 - June 2019, Senior HH-60 Evaluator Pilot 920 OG, Patrick AFB, FL
14. June 2019 - September 2019, Commander 301 RQS, Patrick AFB, FL
15. October 2019 - March 2020, Commander 303 ERQS, Baledogle Military Airfield, Somalia
16. April 2020 - July 2020, Senior HH-60 Evaluator Pilot 920 OG, Patrick AFB, FL
17. July 2020 - November 2022, Commander 913 AG, Little Rock AFB, AR
18. November 2022 - September 2023, Director of Operations and Plans 22 AF, Dobbins ARB, GA
19. September 2023 - August 2025, Commander, 908 FTW, Maxwell AFB, AL
20. August 2025 - Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 22nd Air Force, F.E. Warren AFB, WY
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot Flight Hours: 3,850
Aircraft Flown: T-37, UH-1, HH-60G, C-130J, and MH-139
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Medal Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars Iraq Campaign Medal with one service star
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1996
First Lieutenant May 29, 1998
Captain May 29, 2000
Major May 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel Oct 1, 2013
Colonel May 11, 2020
(Current as of Aug 2025)