Col. Curtis L. Pitts is the Commander of the 44th Fighter Group, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. He is responsible for providing a force comprised of more than 260 Reserve Airmen and civilian personnel transitioning to an operational F-35 mission. The 44th FG is a Classic Associate Air Force Reserve unit integrated with Air Combat Command’s 325th Fighter Wing.
Col. Pitts entered the U.S. Air Force in 1996 through ROTC at Mississippi State University. He served on active duty for 13 years before transitioning to the Air Force Reserve in 2009. He spent more than 19 years in fighter operations and has served in various leadership positions at the squadron, group, wing and deployed joint headquarters levels with experience in F-16 Fighting Falcon operational test, F-35 Lightning II program integration, and security program management. Col. Pitts also served as an F-16 and F-35A flight examiner, instructor pilot, weapons officer, forward air controller-airborne and mission commander. He flew missions supporting Operations JOINT FORGE, JOINT GUARDIAN, NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH and NOBLE EAGLE. Col. Pitts also supported coalition ground forces in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Prior to his current position, Col. Pitts served as a Command Center Director, North American Aerospace Defense/U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Miss.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2019 Joint Professional Military Education Phase II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1996 - December 1996, Special Assistant to the Commander, ROTC Detachment 425, Mississippi State University, Starkville, Miss.
2. December 1996 - January 1998, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
3. January 1998 - May 1998, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Columbus AFB, Miss.
4. May 1998 - February 1999, Student, F-16 Initial Qualification Training, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
5. February 1999 - March 2000, Assistant Training Officer, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
6. March 2000 - February 2001, Electronic Combat Pilot, 510 Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
7. February 2001 - February 2002, Weapons and Tactics Officer, 31st Fighter Wing Operations Support Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
8. February 2002 - June 2003, F-16 Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander, 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
9. June 2003 - December 2003, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
10. December 2003 - December 2004, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 522d Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
11. December 2004 - August 2006, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 524th Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
12. August 2006 - February 2007, Chief of Scheduling, 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
13. February 2007 - August 2008, Division Commander, 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
14. August 2008 - April 2009, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 53rd Test and Evaluation Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
15. April 2009 - August 2011, Wing Program Manager, 419th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
16. August 2011 - September 2014, Assistant Director of Operations, 466th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
17. September 2014 - September 2016, Commander, 419th Operations Group Detachment 1, Hill AFB, Utah
18. September 2016 - September 2018, Chief of Safety, 419th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
19. September 2018 - July 2020, Director of Command Center, North American Aerospace Defense/U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.
20. July 2020 - Present, Commander, 44th Fighter Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2018 - July 2020, Director of Command Center, North American Aerospace Defense/U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,900
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, A/T-38B, F-16C+, F-16CG, F-16CJ, F-16CM and F-35A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
(Current as of November 2021)