Colonel Christopher J. Lovett is the Commander, 2d Weather Group, 557th Weather Wing, Offutt Air Force Base (AFB), Nebraska. He leads more than 550 active duty, civil service and contract personnel comprised of 6 Squadrons and 8 geographically separated units on 3 continents. The group operates and sustains the Air Force’s $323 million strategic weather enterprise data center and supercomputer, delivering decision-quality, authoritative space and terrestrial environmental intelligence across Department of Defense, the Interagency and International Partners. The fusion of weather, climate and space environmental services provide non-kinetic options to decision makers during planning and operations spanning the national security objectives spectrum.
Colonel Lovett is a 1998 graduate of Purdue University and entered the Air Force in 1999 through Officer Training School. Through his career, he led operational weather support to 13 Major Weapons Systems across fighter, bomber, trainer, mobility, and reconnaissance aircraft as well as launch weather support for commercial and government satellite payloads and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Space Transportation System. He has been a Major Command deputy director and deputy division chief, a squadron commander, led an Air Operations Center directorate, and led the staff weather office for Headquarters Third United States Army / United States Army Central. He has deployed four times across Southwest Asia in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Southern Watch. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Lovett served in numerous duties culminating as the Deputy Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science degree in Synoptic Meteorology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
2002 Master of Aeronautical Science degree, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Master of Military Operational Art and Science degree, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 2000 - October 2000, Wing Weather Officer, 72d Operations Support Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
2. October 2000 - November 2002, Weather Operations Officer, 366th Operations Support Squadron, Mountain Home
AFB, Idaho (September – October 2001, Weather Cell Officer-in-Charge, 9th Air & Space Expeditionary Task Force – BRIGHT STAR, Cairo West Air Base, Egypt) (July – September 2002, Weather Flight Commander, 363d Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia)
3. November 2002 - November 2005, Flight Commander, Weather Operations, 80th Operations Support Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
4. November 2005 - October 2006, Flight Commander, Weather Operations, 8th Operations Support Squadron, Kunsan AB, South Korea
5. October 2006 - December 2006, Student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. December 2006 - March 2010, Assistant Operations Officer, 45th Weather Squadron, Patrick AFB, Fla. (January – August 2008, Chief Meteorological Officer [CMETO], Headquarters International Security Assistance Force [ISAF], Kabul, Afghanistan)
7. March 2010 - July 2011, Chief, 3d Army Weather Plans and Requirements, Operating Location Charlie, 18th Weather Squadron, Fort McPherson, Ga.
8. July 2011 - December 2011, Chief, Weather Standardization and Requirements Branch, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
9. December 2011 - August 2012, Chief, Airfield Systems and Resources Branch, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
10. August 2012 - June 2014, Executive Officer to the Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill. (November 2013 – April 2014, ISAF CMETO and United States Forces Afghanistan [USFOR-A] Joint Meteorological & Oceanographic Officer [JMO], ISAF Joint Command, Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan)
11. June 2014 - June 2016, Director, Global Weather Operations, 618th Air Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center), Scott AFB, Ill.
12. June 2016 - July 2018, Commander, 426th Air Base Squadron, Stavanger, Norway.
13. July 2018 - February 2019, Chief, Weather Operations Branch, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
14. February 2019 - November 2021, Deputy Division Chief, Current Operations, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
15. November 2021 – June 2022, Deputy Director of Operations, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
16. June 2022 – Present, Commander, 2d Weather Group, Offutt AFB, Neb.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
Korean Defense Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
NATO Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2002 Weather Company Grade Officer of the Year, Air Education and Training Command
2006 Top Third, Squadron Officer School, Class 07A
2014 Weather Field Grade Officer of the Year, Air Mobility Command
2015 Weather Field Grade Officer of the Year, Air Mobility Command
2016 Outstanding Graduate, Air War College (Distance Learning)