COLONEL MATHEW C. WENTHE

Colonel Mathew C. Wenthe is the Chief of of the National Guard Bureau International Affairs Division, Arlington Hall, Virginia. The International Affairs Division supports the Chief of the National Guard Bureau in the execution of the State Partnership Program on behalf of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The State Partnership Program supports the security cooperation objectives of the United States and the Geographic Combatant Commanders by developing enduring relationships with partner countries and carrying out activities to build partner capacity, improve interoperability, and enhance U.S. access and influence while increasing the readiness of U.S. and partner forces. Established in 1993 with 13 initial partnerships, the State Partnership Program now includes 82 formal strategic partnerships with the National Guards of all 54 U.S. States and Territories.

After receiving his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1996, Colonel Wenthe served twelve years on Active Duty before transitioning to the California Air National Guard in 2008. He was an Instructor at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and has held a variety of assignments as an HH-60G Combat Search and Rescue pilot performing Personnel Recovery operations in combat and peacetime for the US Air Force and the Air National Guard. Col Wenthe served as the Chief of the Personnel Recovery, Special Operations, and Battle Field Airmen Division at the ANGRC and the Test Director for the OSD/JTE Joint Personnel Recovery Information Digital Exchange (JPRIDE) Quick Reaction Test. He is a command pilot with more than 2700 flying hours in the T-37, UH-1, and HH-60G. He has flown over 200 combat missions in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Prior to assuming his current position, the colonel served as the Commander for the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Test Center, Tucson, AZ, where he led operational and developmental test and tactics development for all Air Reserve Component weapons systems.

EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Master of Science, Security Studies, Naval Postgraduate School, Calif.
2015 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, DC

ASSIGNMENTS

  1. August 1996–March 1997, MWR Facilities Manager, USAF Academy, Colo.
  2. March 1997–September 1997, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
  3. September 1997–July 1998, Student, UH-1 Helicopter Pilot Training, Ft Rucker, Ala.
  4. August 1998–March 1999, Student, HH-60G Initial Qualification, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
  5. March 1999–April 2001, Pilot, Chief of Scheduling, 33d Rescue Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
  6. April 2001–June 2002, Pilot, Chief of Current Operations, Det 1, 33d Rescue Squadron, Osan Air Base, Korea
  7. July 2002–January 2005, Flight Commander, 66th Rescue Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
  8. January 2005–June 2005, Student, USAF Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
  9. June 2005–November 2006, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 66th Rescue Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
  10. November 2006–February 2008, Director of Operations, 34th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
  11. February 2008–October 2008, Chief, 57th Wing Advanced Programs, Nellis AFB, Nev.
  12. October 2008–September 2011, Chief, Weapons and Tactics, 129th Rescue Squadron, Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif.
  13. September 2011–November 2012, Commander, 129th Rescue Squadron, Moffett FAF, Calif.
  14. November 2012–November 2013, Wing Weapons Officer, 129th Rescue Wing, Moffett FAF, Calif.
  15. November 2013–June 2016, Division Chief, Personnel Recovery, Special Operations, and Battlefield Airmen, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
  16. June 2016–June 2017, Student, National War College, Ft McNair, Washington, D.C.
  17. June 2017–June 2018, Division Chief, Plans and Execution, Air National Guard Readiness Center, JB Andrews, Md.
  18. June 2018–June 2020, Commander, ANG and AFRC Test Center, Morris Air National Guard Base, Ariz.
  19. June 2020-Present, Chief, National Guard Bureau, International Affairs, Arlington Hall, Virginia.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2900
Aircraft flown: T-37, UH-1, HH-60G

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with Valor with nine oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2005 Outstanding Graduate, USAF Weapons School
2016 Center for Homeland Defense and Security Notable Thesis, “In Harmony With the Population: Ethnomusicology as a Framework for Countering Violent Extremism in the Sahel”
2016 Test Director, Joint Personnel Recovery Information Digital Exchange (J-PRIDE) Quick Reaction Test

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1996
First Lieutenant June 1998
Captain June 2000
Major April 2006
Lieutenant Colonel August 2012
Colonel June 2017

Contact

1012 14th Street, N.W.
Suite 1400
Washington, DC 20005
Phone (202) 347-8630
[email protected]

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