Col. Karl R. Weinbrecht is the commander of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 645, chairman of the Department of Aerospace Studies at The Ohio State University. Weinbrecht is responsible for every aspect of the AFROTC program at Ohio State and its numerous crosstown schools. He leads a staff of five officers, two noncommissioned officers and a civilian university employee in recruiting, training, motivating and educating close to 150 cadets each year. In a 4-year academic, military training and character development program, Weinbrecht leads AFROTC university graduates to a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force or United States Space Force. Additionally, he routinely executes Air Force and Ohio State budgets, tuition and scholarship programs totaling $2 million annually.
Colonel Weinbrecht earned his commission in 2000 from Officer Training School. After graduation from Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training in 2001, he was assigned as an Electronic Warfare Officer to the EC-130H COMPASS CALL. In addition to numerous operational assignments, he served on the Air Staff and Joint Staff at the Pentagon, twice commanded the 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron in Afghanistan supporting Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL. Prior to his current position he served as Vice Commander of the 505th Command and Control Wing where he was responsible for advancing, integrating and standardizing training, tactics and testing for operational-level command of air, space and cyber power in the joint and coalition environment.
Education
1998 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Clarion University of Pennsylvania, Clarion, PA.
2005 EC-130H Weapons Instructor Course, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, NV
2006 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Masters of Science in Aerospace Science and Technology, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence
2012 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
2018 National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
Major Awards and Decorations
Legion of Merit
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Assignments
March 2000 – June 2001
Student Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, TX
June 2001 – June 2004
Asst Chief Compass Call Requirements and EC-130H Instructor Mission Crew Commander
755th Operational Support Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
Aug. 2004 – May 2005
Asst Chief Stan/Eval and, 43 Electronic Combat Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
May 2005 – June 2006
Chief, Weapons and Tactics, 43d Electronic Combat Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
June 2006 – June 2007
Flight Commander, EC-130H Mission Crew Simulator and EC-130H evaluator Mission Crew Commander
755th Operational Support Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
June 2007 – Aug. 2010
Asst Director of Operations Electronic Warfare, 8th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
Aug. 2010 – Dec. 2011
Chief, Airborne Electronic Attack Branch, HAF/A5RE, Pentagon, VA
Dec. 2011 – Dec. 2012
Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
Jan. 2013 – June 2013
Asst Director of Operations, 41st Electronic Combat Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
June 2013 – July 2014
Director of Operations, 41st Electronic Combat Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
July 2014 – July 2016
Commander, 42d Electronic Combat Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
July 2016 – July 2017
Deputy Group Commander, 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
July 2017 – June 2018
Student, National War College, Washington D.C.
June 2018 – July 2019
Sensitive Reconnaissance Operations Branch, J32, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
July 2019 – July 2020
Force Management Division, J32, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
July 2020 – July 2022
Vice Wing Commander, 505th Command and Control Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL
July 2022 – Present
Commander, AFROTC Detachment 645 and Professor of Aerospace Studies
The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH