Colonel Chigi serves as the commander of the 101st Air and Space Operations Group. She is responsible for approximately 400 Title 32 Florida Guardsmen that staff and support the 601st Air Operations Center, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The 601 AOC plans, directs, and assesses air and space operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the United States Northern Command. The AOC provides aerospace warning and control for NORAD Defensive Counter Air activities, as well as directing Air Force air and space capabilities in support of USNORTHCOM homeland security and civil support missions. The 601 AOC fills the critical need to meet the challenge of directing all air sovereignty activities for the continental United States and is the new-age combat weapon system needed to fulfill that crucial defense role by remaining vigilant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Colonel Chigi graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science in Military History. After serving as a Communications and Information Officer, she was selected for undergraduate pilot training and graduated with her first-choice aircraft, the C-17. Col Chigi stood up C-17 squadrons at McGuire AFB and Dover AFB, advanced to Aircraft Commander and made fleet-wide impacts in flight safety. In 2011, Col Chigi volunteered to fly the MQ-1B Predator at Creech AFB, where she served as an Instructor Pilot, Operations Supervisor, Assistant Director of Operations, and the Director of Staff. From Creech AFB, Col Chigi deployed to Afghanistan where she commanded the largest MQ-1B Predator detachment in the Air Force. A humanitarian assignment took her to McGuire AFB, where she served as an Airlift Planner in the Contingency Response Wing while completing US Army Command and General Staff College. Col Chigi joined the Air National Guard in 2014, and completed MQ-9 Initial Qualification Training in 2015. Prior to her current assignment, Col Chigi was the Deputy Director of CONR-1AF (AFNORTH & AFSPACE)/A3.
Colonel Chigi is a Command Pilot with more than 2,300 flying hours. She has flown combat sorties in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Operation NEW DAWN, and Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
2001 Bachelor of Science in Military History, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 2001 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Communications and Information Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss. 2004 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2004 C-17 Initial Qualification Course, Altus AFB, Okla. 2007 Flight Safety Officer Course, Kirtland AFB, NM 2007 C-17 Aircraft Commander Course, Altus AFB, Okla.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 MQ-1B Initial Qualification Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M. 2010 Joint Firepower Course, Nellis AFB, N.M.
2011 Master of Aeronautical Science with Distinction, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide, by correspondence 2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 MQ-1B Launch and Recovery Training Course, Creech AFB, Nev. 2012 MQ-1B Instructor Pilot Course, Creech AFB, Nev.
2013 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., by correspondence 2013 AOC Initial Qualification Training, Hurlburt AFB, Fla.
2015 MQ-9 Initial Qualification Course, Syracuse, N.Y.
2019 USAF Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 2020 Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course
2022 Senior Leader Development Seminar: Latin America 2022 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2023 Space Executive Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
ASSIGNMENTS
August 2001 – January 2003, Network Engineer, Standard Systems Group, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
anuary 2003 – March 2004, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 41st Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Miss.
August 2004 – March 2007, C-17 Aircraft Commander, 305 Air Mobility Wing, McGuire AFB, N.J.
March 2007 – February 2010, C-17 Aircraft Commander/Deputy Chief of Wing Safety, 436 Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, Del.
August 2010 – March 2013, Director of Staff/MQ-1B Instructor Pilot, 432 Air Expeditionary Wing, Creech AFB, Nev.
April 2013 – October 2014, Assistant Director of Operations, 21st Air Mobility Operations Squadron, JBMDL, N.J.
November 2014 – July 2017, Assistant Director of Operations, 103d Attack Squadron, Horsham AGS, Horsham, Pa.
July 2017 – June 2020, Chief, Operations Training, CONR-1AF (AFNORTH), Tyndall AFB, Fla.
June 2020 – September 2021, 1AF (AFNORTH) LNO to 5th Army (ARNORTH), Fort Sam Houston, Texas
October 2021 – August 2023 Deputy Director of Air, Space, and Information Operations, CONR-1AF (AFNORTH and AFSPACE), Tyndall AFB, Fla.
August 2023 – Present, Commander, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 2,300
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1, C-17A, MQ-1B, MQ-9
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with seven oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster Humanitarian Service Medal
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS
United States Air Force Academy Association of Graduates Military Officers Association of America
National Guard Association of the United States
The Ninety-Nines
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2001
First Lieutenant May 30, 2003
Captain May 30, 2005
Major April 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel November 29, 2016
Colonel March 25, 2021
(Current as of October 2023)