Mary Carnes

Lieutenant Colonel Mary Carnes is a U.S. Air Force Officer and combat veteran currently serving on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon. In this capacity, she works regional operations and Global Force Management issues for the U.S. European Command and North Atlantic Treaty Organization portfolios. Prior to assignment on the Joint Staff, she was a Strategist and Reserve Liaison in the Air Force Strategy Division where she helped write and publish the Air Force Strategic Master Plan and Future Operating Concept. Mary began her military career as an MC-130E and C-130 instructor navigator, and served in support of combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Physics at UCLA, has advanced degrees from the University of West Florida, Air Command and Staff College, and U.S. Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, and is currently a PhD candidate at the U.S. Air Force’s Air University.