Col. Lauren A. Courchaine is the Commander of the 37th Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. In this position she leads the largest, most diverse training wing in the Air Force known as the “Gateway to the Air Force.” The Gateway Wing, provides foundational training and education to develop multi-capable Airmen, Guardians and sister service members; strengthens and sustains U.S. and international partnerships through English language and special skills training for allied forces; and is the Department of Defense executive agent for the Military Working Dog program. The wing is comprised of the 737th Training Group, which generates nearly 93% of the Air Force enlisted force in Basic Military Training; the 37th Training Group which provides technical training in 23 different career fields; the Inter-American Air Forces Academy that promotes security cooperation principles through the delivery of professional military education and technical training in Spanish; and the 637th Training Group, known as Defense Language Institute English Language Center which provides English language training and cultural immersion for more than 3,500 international military students annually.
Col. Courchaine is a 2000 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. She has served in various leadership roles to include squadron, group, Air Staff, major command, combatant command and joint staff. She has also deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM. Prior to her current assignment, Colonel Courchaine was the Commander, 67th Cyberspace Operations Group, JBSA-Lackland, Texas.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2000 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2001 Aerospace Physiologist Training, Brooks AFB, Texas
2006 Squadron Officer School (Top Third Graduate & Chief of Staff Flight), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Basic Communications Officer Training (Distinguished Graduate), Kessler AFB, Miss.
2006 Master of Business Administration, Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.
2010 Air Command and Staff College (in correspondence)
2012 Strategic Policy Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2013 Air War College (in correspondence)
2014 Cyber 400, Washington, D.C.
2014 JPME II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2017 Master of National Security & Resource Strategy with Cybersecurity Leadership Concentration, Dwight D. Eisenhower School of National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2023 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2000 – July 2001, Women's Junior Varsity Basketball Coach & Physical Education instructor, Directorate of Athletics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2. July 2001 – September 2001, Student, Aerospace Physiologist Training, School of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base, Texas
3. September 2001 – March 2003, Aerospace Physiologist, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Mo.
4. April 2003 – September 2003, Wing Protocol Officer, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Mo.
5. September 2003 – July 2004, Officer in Charge, Aerospace Physiology Training Flight, 9th Physiological Support Squadron, Beale AFB, Calif.
6. July 2004 – January 2006, Wing Executive Officer, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, Calif. (January 2005 – May 2005, Wing Executive Officer, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
7. February 2006 – September 2006, Officer in Charge, Standardization and Evaluation, 9th Communications Squadron, Beale AFB, Calif.
8. September 2006 – January 2007, Wing Executive Officer, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates
9. February 2007 – June 2007, Flight Commander, Mission Systems Flight, 9th Communications Squadron, Beale AFB, Calif.
10. June 2007 – March 2009, Flight Commander, Executive Travel, 844th Communications Squadron, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
11. June 2008 – January 2009, Chief, Network Branch, Afghan National Police, CJ6, Combined Security Transition Command, Kabul, Afghanistan
12. March 2009 – April 2010, Chief, Executive Communications, Office of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
13. April 2010 – July 2010, Assistant Executive Officer to the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Office of the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2010 – June 2011, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Force Space Command, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
15. July 2011 – June 2012, Strategic Policy Fellow, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. July 2012 – June 2014, Commander, 743 Intelligence Support Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
17. September 2014 – July 2016, Chief of Cyber Operations, Joint Cyber Center, Headquarters, United States European Command, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart Germany
18. August 2016 – June 2017, Student, Dwight D. Eisenhower School of National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.
19. July 2017 – February 2019, Operations Branch Chief, Cyberspace and Electronic Warfare Operations Division, Directorate for Global Operations, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
20. February 2019 – May 2020, Director of the Special Project and Innovation Division, Directorate for Global Operations, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
21. June 2020 to June 2022, Commander, 67th Cyberspace Operations Group, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
22. June 2022 to present, Commander, 37th Training Wing, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2008 – January 2009, Chief, Network Branch, Afghan National Police, CJ6, Combined Security Transition Command, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a Captain
2. Sep 2014 – July 2017, Chief of Cyber Operations, Joint Cyber Center, Headquarters, United States European Command, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart Germany as a Lieutenant Colonel
3. July 2017 – February 2019, Branch Chief, Operations, Cyberspace and Electronic Warfare Operations Division, Directorate for Global Operations, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. as a Lieutenant Colonel
4. February 2019 – May 2020, Director of the Special Project and Innovation Division, Directorate for Global Operations, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. as a Colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 2000
First Lieutenant May 31, 2002
Captain May 31, 2004
Major February 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2013
Colonel June 1, 2019
(Current as of JUNE 2022)