Catherine A. Hutson, a Manlius resident and veteran of the Iraq War, has been promoted to colonel in the New York Air National Guard.
Hutson, the commander of the 174th Maintenance Group, was promoted during a June 29 ceremony at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base.
Hutson has served in the Air Force and Air National Guard since 1991, when she graduated from the Air Force ROTC program at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. She served in the Active Air Force from 1992 to 1999.
Hutson served as personnel officer, information management officer, mission support group executive officer, and an ROTC instructor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y. during that period.
She joined the 174th Fighter wing in 1999, and served as community manager and wing executive officer until 2002.
Her other assignments with the 174th have included logistics readiness squadron commander, maintenance squadron commander, aircraft maintenance squadron commander, acting base civil engineer, deputy maintenance group commander, deputy mission support group commander and now maintenance group commander.
In 2008, Hutson served as the maintenance officer in charge of over 250 personnel at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, for the last F-16 combat deployment from the 174th Fighter Wing.
In 2010 the wing began flying the MQ-9 remote piloted aircraft.
Along with a bachelor of arts from Virginia Tech, Hutson holds a Masters of Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She also holds a Masters of Business Administration from Columbia College.
She is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College and as attended the Reserve Components National Security Course and Air National Guard Commander’s Development Course.
Her awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, and the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon.
