Col. Juan Carlos García is the 156th Operations Group Commander at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, Carolina, Puerto Rico. He is responsible for organizing, training and equipping more than 324 Airmen in two squadrons and one flight. He implements policy and provides resources on matters related to Combat Communications, Air Control, Airfield Operations, and a Host Nation Rider Program for both state and federal missions. Col. García is also qualified as a Dual Status Commander by United States Northern Command.
Col. García is a 1993 graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He holds a master’s degree in Applied Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He commissioned in 1993 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and has served 29 years throughout his military career. Col. García graduated from U.S. Navy Basic Supply Officer qualification Course in 1994. He completed two sea service deployments before transferring to the Air National Guard. Col. García served a Combat Mission Ready (CMR) Air Force Distributed Common Ground System (Sentinel) Mission Operations Commander, Instructor Rated Operator (IRO) on MQ-1 Predator with 283 combat sorties. Col. García graduated from Specialized Undergraduate Cyberwarfare Training at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. in 2001. Prior to his current position, the colonel was the Joint Force Headquarters Director of Logistics – Air for the Puerto Rico National Guard.
Col. García has served in various operational and staff assignments, including Domestic Operations Director for the 226th Combat Communications Group of the Alabama Air National Guard, Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Mission Operations Commander assigned to the 117th Intelligence Squadron, and Seabee Combat Warfare Officer with the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVENTYFOUR. He mobilized in support of Operations NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, and served in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM as Commander of the 447th Air Expeditionary Civil Engineer Operations Flight, United States Central Command. The colonel is also an Engineering Consultant for the Missile Defense Agency as his civilian occupation.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Electrical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
1993 Reserve Officer Training Course, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
1994 U.S. Navy Supply Corps Officer School, Basic Qualification Course, Athens, Ga.
1997 U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps Officer School, CEC Basic Course, Port Hueneme, Calif.
1997 U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Combat Warfare Specialist, Gulfport, Miss.
1998 Defense Acquisition University (DAU), DAWIA Level 1 Contracting Officer, Norfolk, Va.
1998 Registered Professional Engineer (PE), Puerto Rico
2001 Air Force Institute of Technology, AF Civil Engineer Reserve Course, Dayton, Ohio
2005 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2007 Air Force Distributed Common Ground System (Sentinel) Mission Operations Commander, Instructor Rated Operator (IRO) on MQ-1 Predator, Birmingham, Ala.
2008 Missile Defense Agency Senior Staff Officer Course, Huntsville, Ala.
2015 Air War College, by correspondence 2015 Master’s degree in Applied Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
2016 Cyberspace Warfare Training, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
2020 Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) I, Puerto Rico
2021 Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) II, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2022 Joint Task Force Commander Course, USNORTHCOM, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2022 Dual Status Commander Course, USNORTHCOM, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2023 Air National Guard Commander Leadership Course, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1994–May 1995, Student, U.S. Navy Supply Corps Officer School, Athens, Ga.
2. May 1995–May 1996, Assistant Supply Officer, USNMCB SEVENTYFOUR, Gulfport, Miss.
3. May 1996–May 1997, Deputy Operations Officer, USNMCB SEVENTYFOUR, Gulfport, Miss.
4. January 1997–May 1997, Staff Officer, J-3, Joint Task Force 411 (U.S. Southern Command), Panama
5. May 1997–May 1998, Student U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps Officer School, Port Hueneme, Calif.
6. May 1998–December 1997, Assistant Resident Officer in Charge of Construction, Atlantic Division Naval Facilities and Engineering Command, Norfolk, Va.
7. May 2001–May 2005, Operations Officer, 156th Civil Engineer Squadron, Muñiz ANGB, Puerto Rico
(March 2004–June 2004, Commander, Operations Flight, 447th Air Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Baghdad, Iraq)
8. May 2005–October 2015, Intelligence Officer, 117th Intelligence Squadron, Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Ala.
9. October 2015–October 2019, Domestic Operations Director, 226th CBCG, Abston Air National Guard Station, Ala.
10. October 2019–January 2023, Director of Logistics, JFHQ-A4, Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico National Guard
11. January 2023–Present, Commander, 156th Operations Group, Muñiz ANGB, Puerto Rico
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal
Navy Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2005 Registered Professional Engineer, PE, Ala.
1998 Registered Professional Engineer, PE, Puerto Rico
2017 COMP TIA, Security Plus Certificate
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
National Guard Association of the United States
National Guard Association of Puerto Rico
Society of American Military Engineers
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Ensign May 28, 1993
Lieutenant Junior Grade May 28, 1995
Captain June 1, 1997
Major June 5, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel June 5, 2010
Colonel April 19, 2020
(Current as of January 2024)