Colonel Elizabeth M. Harwood is the Commander of the 325th Mission Support Group, 325th Fighter Wing, Air Combat Command, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The group provides support to the 325th Fighter Wing, First Air Force (Air Forces Northern), 601st Air Operations Center, 53d Weapons Evaluation Group, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, 337th Air Control Squadron and Silver Flag. The wing provides support to more than 23,000 Airmen, civilians, contractors and their families in more than 1,700 facilities on 29,000 acres. The group is responsible for civil engineering, security, communications, manpower, personnel, services, contracting, supply, fuels, logistics, and transportation support for 23,000 active duty, guard, reserve, civilian, contractor, dependent and retired personnel.
Colonel Harwood graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and earned her commission through the Air Force ROTC program in December 1998. She has served in a variety of base-level civil engineer positions as well as staff officer positions at the field operating agency, center, major command, and Headquarters Air Force levels. Colonel Harwood has commanded at the squadron-level three times, including an expeditionary air base squadron and two civil engineer squadrons. Her contingency experience includes five deployments in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and INHERENT RESOLVE.
Prior to this assignment, she was Director, Operations and Energy Directorates, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.
EDUCATION:
1998 Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Environmental, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff
2001 Construction Management Certificate, University of California Berkeley Extension, Berkeley
2004 Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical, University of Colorado, Boulder
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1999–August 2001, Chief, Environmental Compliance and Infrastructure Program Manager, 60th Civil Engineer Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
2. August 2001–August 2003, Chief, Commander’s Support Staff and Chief, Civil and Architectural Team, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam (December 2002–June 2003, Environmental Officer and Project Engineer, 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait)
3. August 2003–December 2004, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, University of Colorado, Boulder
4. January 2005–August 2008, Chief, Maintenance Engineering and Chief, Airfield Pavement Evaluation Team, Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, Tyndall AFB, Fla. (July 2005–January 2006, Project Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gulf Region Southern District, Basrah Palace Resident Office, Iraq)
5. August 2008–June 2011, Environmental Program Manager/Program Element Monitor; MILCON Program Manager; and MILCON Requirements Programmer, Office of the Civil Engineer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. (February 2009–August 2009, Officer in Charge, Airfield Pavement Evaluation Team, Installations Directorate (A7), Air Force Forces, Southwest Asia)
6. June 2011–July 2013, Operations Flight Commander, 786th Civil Engineer Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany (January 2013–July 2013, Commander, 768th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron, Arba Minch, Ethiopia)
7. July 2013–June 2014, Chief, Expeditionary Operations Branch, Logistics, Installations, and Mission Support Directorate, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
8. June 2014–June 2016, Commander, 14th Civil Engineer Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
9. July 2016–July 2018, Commander, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
10. August 2018–present, Deputy Director, Operations Directorate and Director, Operations and Energy Directorates, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Tyndall AFB, Fla. (May 2020–October 2020, Director of Engineering, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait)
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with eight oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 Top Third Graduate, Squadron Officer School
2006 Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency Company Grade Officer of the Year
2011 Society of American Military Engineers Young Member Medal
2013 Air Force Major General L. Dean Fox Award (Senior Military Manager)
2013 Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa Field Grade Officer of the Year
(Current as of April 2021)