Col. Catherine Grush is currently the commander of the 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base in Reno, Nev. She commands four groups consisting of 13 squadrons and flights, and is responsible for the policy, programming and planning necessary to train and maintain readiness for over 1,100 airmen. The Wing is tasked to provide tactical air delivery capability to the State of Nevada and combatant commanders, and to perform large scale aerial firefighting by employing the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System.
Col. Grush joined the Nevada Air National Guard in April of 2000. She was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. January of 2001. After qualifying as a C-130 co-pilot at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. in December of 2002, she became a co-pilot with the 192nd Operations Squadron rising to the position of Pilot in Command. In previous assignments she has been commander 152nd Maintenance Operations Flight, 152nd Maintenance Squadron, Weapon System Manager for C130 and HH60 Aircraft, A4 Air National Guard Readiness Center at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Adjutant General’s Executive Assistant, Nevada National Guard, Deputy J3 Director of Military Support Nevada National Guard.
Col. Grush has amassed more than 2,000 flight hours, over 1000 of which were flown in combat. She has multiple overseas deployments serving in Operations Coronet Oak, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. She was Mission Commander for 2 PACANGEL Exercises to Fiji and Timor Leste. Prior to her current position, she was the 152nd Maintenance Group Commander, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base in Reno, Nev.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Arts and Science, University of Nevada, Reno
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico Marine Corps Base, Va.
2016 Masters of Military Studies, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Decatur, Ga.
2020 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2023 Joint Task Force Commanders Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2001- December 2001, Pilot Trainee, Vance Air Force Base, Enid, Okla.
2. December 2001 – July 2002, Pilot Trainee, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas
3. July 2002 – December 2002, Pilot Trainee C-130, Little Rock Air Force Base, Little Rock, Ark.
4. December 2002- March 2008, Pilot C-130, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, Nev.
5. March 2008 – September 2009, Commander, 152nd Maintenance Operations Flight, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, Nev.
6. September 2009 – October 2014, Commander, 152nd Maintenance Squadron, 152nd, Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, Nev.
7. October 2014 – August 2015, Weapon System Manager C-130/HH-60, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
8. July 2016 – November 2018, Commander, 152nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, Nev.
9. November 2018 – March 2020, Executive Officer, Office of the Adjutant General, Carson City, Nev.
10. March 2020 –March 2022, Deputy J3, Director of Military Support, Office of the Adjutant General, Carson City, Nev.
11. March 2022 – October 2022, Commander, 152nd Mission Support Group, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, Nev.
12. October 2022 – August 2023, Commander, 152nd Maintenance Group, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, Nev.
13. August 2023-Present, Commander, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, Nev.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 2018 – March 2020, Executive Officer, Office of the Adjutant General, Carson City, Nev., as a lieutenant colonel
2. March 2020 –March 2022, Deputy J3, Director of Military Support, Office of the Adjutant General, Carson City, Nev., as a lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight hours: 2246
Aircraft flown: T-37, T44, C130E, C130H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with “V” device and two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border with six oak leaf clusters
Air Force Longevity Service with four oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two hourglass devices and eleven 'M' devices
Air Force Training Ribbon
NATO Medal with bronze star
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant February 16, 2001
First Lieutenant February 16, 2003
Captain February 16, 2005
Major February 16, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel August 1, 2016
Colonel November 30, 2022
(Current as of September 2023)