Col. Christian Bergtholdt is the Commander, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida – the Installation of the Future and America’s newest combat F-35A Lightning II Wing. He leads 2,900 Total Force personnel and is responsible for $5.2 billion in infrastructure. The Wing’s mission is to project unrivaled combat airpower to America and is currently home to one F-35 unit and 20 mission partners. Upon completion of the Tyndall Air Force Base rebuild, the wing will be home to three operational F-35A units.
Colonel Bergtholdt received his bachelor’s degree and commission from the United States Air Force Academy in May 2000. He was a distinguished graduate of Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in 2002 and has held a variety of flying positions to include F-15C Eagle and F-22 Raptor flight examiner. Colonel Bergtholdt has deployed to the Middle East, Pacific, and Southwest Asia in support of theater security and combat operations. He also served as United States Central Command’s lead planner for Syria during Operation Inherent Resolve. Prior to his current position, he was the Commander, 325th Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science, Human Factors Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2000 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Master of Business Administration, American Military University, Charles Town, W.Va.
2014 Master of National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval Command and Staff College, Newport, R.I.
2014 Maritime Advanced Warfighting School, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
2016 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2021 National Defense Fellow, Congressional Research Service, Washington, D.C.
2023 Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2025 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
2026 Air Force Executive Program, Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2000–March 2001, Executive Officer, 99th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
2. March 2001–May 2002, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. April 2003–November 2003, Student, F-15C Formal Training Unit, 1st Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
4. December 2003–March 2007, F-15C Instructor Pilot, Chief of Stan/Eval, 12th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
5. June 2007–May 2010, Assistant Director of Operations (ADO), 94th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
6. May 2010–March 2011, ADO, 8th Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
7. December 2012–June 2013, Director of Operations, 7th Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
8. August 2013–September 2014, Student, Naval Command and Staff College and Maritime Advanced Warfighting School,
Newport, R.I.
9. September 2014–July 2016, Strategic War Planner, US Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
10. August 2016–December 2017, Director of Operations, 27th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
11. March 2018–March 2020, Commander, 1st Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
12. April 2020–June 2020, Deputy Commander, 1st Operations Group, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
13. July 2020–August 2021, National Defense Fellow, Congressional Research Service, Washington, D.C.
14. August 2021–June 2022, Chief, Combat Air Forces Division, Directorate of Operations and Readiness, Headquarters United
States Air Force, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. June 2022–July 2024, Commander, 325th Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
16. July 2024–Present, Commander, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2014–July 2016, Strategic War Planner, US Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,250, with more than 220 combat hours
Aircraft flown: F-35A, F-22A, F-15C/D, T-38A/C, and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze service Star
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border with five oak leaf clusters
NATO Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Norwegian Foot March Foreign Badge Award Recipient
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 2000
First Lieutenant May 31, 2002
Captain May 31, 2004
Major Jan. 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2015
Colonel Sept. 1, 2021
(Current as of April 2026)