Colonel KRISTEN NEMISH

Col. Kristen A. Nemish is the Vice Commander of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The center is responsible for the lifecycle management of nuclear weapons systems supporting two legs of the nation’s nuclear triad, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs); air-launched cruise missiles; gravity bombs; and nuclear command, control and communication integration.

In 1998, Colonel Nemish was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps following her graduation from Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio.

After graduation, she served in a variety of ICBM operations positions, including combat crew evaluator, wing emergency war order planner, as well as flight commander for two student squadrons.

She was also the personal advisor on the nation’s nuclear war plan to the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska.

Additionally, she served as the Commander, 10th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, and as Chief, Senior Leader Management, and Senior Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. She was also a Senior Air Force Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico.

Most recently, she served as the Commander, 91st Operations Group, Minot AFB, North Dakota, where she commanded three ICBM squadrons and an operations support squadron with mission activities dispersed over 8,500 square miles.

EDUCATION

1998 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Ohio Northern University, Ada

1999 ICBM Initial Qualification Training, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2007 Master of Science, Human Resource Management, Troy University, Troy, Ala.

2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2010 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala

2016 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2018 Senior Air Force Fellow, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. January 1999 – November 1999, Student, Undergraduate Space and Missile Training, ICBM Initial Qualification Training, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

2. November 1999 – January 2003, Missile Crew Commander, Evaluator, 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.

3. January 2003 – July 2004, ICBM Wing Emergency War Order Plans, 341st Operations Support Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.

4. July 2004 – July 2008, Instructor/Flight Commander, 392nd Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.

5. July 2008 – August 2009, Flight Commander, 33rd Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

6. August 2009 – July 2010, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

7. July 2010 – September 2012, Strike Advisor/Strike Advisor Instructor, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.

8. September 2012 – August 2013, Chief Current Nuclear Operations, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.

9. August 2013 – March 2014, Director of Operations, 625th Strategic Operations Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.

10. March 2014 – June 2016, Commander, 10th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.

11. June 2016 – May 2017, Chief, Senior Leader Management Division, Barksdale AFB, La.

12. May 2017 – August 2018, Senior Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.

13. August 2018 – June 2019, Senior Air Force Fellow, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M.

14. June 2019 – June 2020, Deputy Inspector General, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.

15. June 2020 – June 2022, Commander, 91st Operations Group, Minot AFB, N.D.

16. June 2022 – present, Vice Commander, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster

Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster

Air Force Achievement Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster

Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two bronze oak leaf clusters

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver oak leaf cluster and bronze oak leaf cluster

Combat Readiness Medal

National Defense Service Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with Nuclear device and bronze oak leaf cluster

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant Dec. 16, 1998

First Lieutenant Dec. 16, 2000

Captain Dec. 16, 2002

Major, July 1, 2008

Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 1, 2013

Colonel Dec. 1, 2019

(Current as of July 2022)