Colonel PETER E. KASARSKIS

Colonel Peter E. Kasarskis currently serves as the Deputy Commander, 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. In this role he is responsible for executing the wing’s mission of delivering F-35 fifth-generation combat airpower to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. Additionally the wing provides high-end, mulit-domain combat training to U.S. and international partners in RED FLAG-Alaska, which is the Pacific Air Forces’ premier multinational large force training exercise.

Col Kasarskis entered the Air Force in 2000 after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Behavior Science from the United Stated Air Force Academy. He graduated pilot training from Vance AFB, Oklahoma in 2001 and completed F-16 training at Luke AFB, Arizona in 2002. Col Kasarskis’ assignments include an F-16 instructor pilot & flight examiner and various positions at squadron, group and wing echelons. He deployed as Chief of Tactics and Mission Systems Operator in the RC-26B and as Director of Operations, 455th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. Additionally, Col Kasarskis served as Commander, 367 FS at Homestead ARB, Florida and Deputy Commander, 54th Fighter Group at Holloman AFB. Prior to assuming his current position, he was the Chief of the Advanced Systems Division at Air Combat Command.

 

Col Kasarskis is a command pilot with more than 2,500 hours in the F-16 and more than 600 hours as a mission systems operator in the RC-26. He participated in Operations NOBLE EAGLE, IRAQI FREEDOM, RESOLUTE SUPPORT, and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL with over 800 combined combat hours.

 

EDUCATION

2000 Bachelor of Science in Behavior Science, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado

2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

2008 Master of Aerospace Science Technology, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Arizona

2009 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence

2019 Air War College, by correspondence

2021 Combat Air Force Fellow, Air Combat Command, Virginia

 

ASSIGNMENTS

1. August 2000 – September 2001, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 25th FTS, Vance AFB, Oklahoma

2. October 2001 – December 2002, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, 435th FS Randolph AFB, TX

3. January 2002 – September 2002, Student, F-16 Formal Training Unit, 308th FS, Luke AFB, Arizona

4. October 2002 – June 2005, F-16 Flight Lead and Chief of Scheduling, 524th FS, Cannon AFB, New Mexico

5. July 2005 – December 2006 – F-16 Instructor Pilot/Flight CC, 35th FS, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea

6. January 2007 – December 2010, F-16 Instructor Pilot/Flight Examiner, 56th OG, Luke AFB, Arizona

(August 2009-April 2010, RC-26 Mission Systems Operator/Chief of Tactics, Southwest Asia)

7. January 2011 – August 2012, F-16 Flight Examiner/Assistant Director of Ops, 18th AGRS Eielson AFB, Alaska

8. September 2012 – March 2014, Director of Staff, 354th FW, Eielson AFB, Alaska

9. April 2014 – May 2016, Inspector General, 388th FW, Hill AFB, Utah

(October 2015 – April 2016, Director of Operations, 455th EOSS, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)

10. June 2016--June 2018, Commander, 367th FS, Homestead ARB, Florida

11. July 2018- June 2020, Deputy Commander, 54th FG, Holloman AFB, New Mexico

12. July 2020- June 2021, Combat Air Force Fellow, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley- Eustis, Virginia

13. July 2021- May 2022, Chief, Advanced Sys Division, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia

14. June 2022- Present, Deputy Commander, 354 FW, Eielson AFB, AK

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command Pilot

Flight hours: More than 3,300

Aircraft flown: F-16, RC-26B, AT-38B, T-38, T-37

 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster

 

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, 1 Sep 2021

(Current as of June 2022)