Bio
Lt Col John D. Cacic is the Commander of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 250 at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, home of the “Cyclones”. As Department Chair and Professor of Aerospace Studies, he oversees a professional cadre of officers and non-commissioned officers as well as three crosstown universities. He is responsible for a comprehensive college program focused on recruiting, training, evaluating and preparing officer candidates to commission into the United States Air and Space Forces.
Lt Col Cacic, originally from Chicago, Illinois, graduated from Iowa State University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing while earning his commission through the AFROTC program at Detachment 250. He has served in a variety of acquisition program management positions as well as career broadening assignments in his 16 years including time as an Executive Officer, Director of Operations, and senior instructor. He also completed two tours as a Field Training Officer (FTO), graduating over 1,375 cadets into the Professional Officer Course (POC), and has earned the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) “Master” Instructor certification with over 2,000 hours of instruction.
Prior to this assignment, Lt Col Cacic was the Deputy Branch Chief of the Modernization Branch at the Airspace Mission Planning Division, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. He led a multidisciplinary team overseeing 50+ personnel and a $300M portfolio of agile software programs enabling aircraft operations, mission planning, and integrating with Command and Control chains and the Department of the Air Force Battle Network.
Education
- 2008 Bachelor of Science in Marketing, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
- 2009 Air Space and Basic Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- 2014 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
- 2014 AETC Academic Instructor Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
- 2015 Master of Science in Administration, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Mich.
- 2021 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell, AFB, Ala., by correspondence
- 2024 AFROTC Detachment Command Professor of Aerospace Studies Course, Air University, Maxwell, AFB, Ala.
- 2024 AETC Squadron Leadership Course, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
Awards and Decorations
- Defense Meritorious Service Medal
- Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
- Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
- Joint Service Achievement Medal
- Air Force Achievement Medal
Assignments
- December 2008 – June 2010, T-38C Program Manager, 663d Aeronautical Systems Squadron, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
- June 2010 – April 2011, USAFA Powered Flight Program Manager, T-1/T-38 Branch, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
- April 2011– July 2011, Student, RPA training, 558th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
- July 2011 – July 2012, Crypto Modification Deputy Program Manager, Cryptologic Systems Division, Lackland Air Force Base,Texas
- July 2012 – August 2013, Executive Officer, Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
- August 2013 – July 2014, AES-256 Project Program Manager, Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
- July 2014 – May 2017, Operations Flight Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 105, Universityof Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colo.
- May 2017 – August 2018, Operations Officer, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 105, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, Colo.
- August 2018 – June 2020, Chief, Program Integrator F-15 FMS, Defense Contracting Management Agency, Boeing St. Louis,St. Louis, Mo.
- June 2020 – November 2022, Director, Weapons Division, Defense Contracting Management Agency, Boeing St. Louis, St.Charles, Mo.
- November 2022 – May 2025, Deputy Branch Chief, Modernization Branch, Airspace Mission Planning Division, Hanscom AirForce Base, Mass.
- May 2025 – Present, Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 250, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Summary of Joint Assignments
- August 2018 – May 2019, Chief, Program Integrator F-15 FMS, Defense Contracting Management Agency, Boeing St Louis,St. Louis, Mo., as a major
- June 2020 – October 2022, Director, Weapons Division, Defense Contracting Management Agency, Boeing St Louis, St.Charles, Mo., as a major
Other Achievements
- 2009 Air Space Basic Top Performer
- 2016 Northwest Region Education Flight Commander of the Year
- 2018 AETC Master Instructor Certification
- 2024 Air Force Lifecycle Management Center Large Team of the Year