Detachment 665 Commander
Lieutenant Colonel Paola S. Ondina
Lt Col Paola S. Ondina is the Commander and Professor of Aerospace Studies for the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 665 at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. In this capacity, she directs recruiting, educating, training, and character building of students from among twelve universities and colleges for commissioning into the United States Air Force as second lieutenants.
Lt Col Ondina received her commission in 2004 through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She is an intelligence officer with experience at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels in providing analysis, planning and exercise support and Theater Airborne ISR Operations. Previously, she was the Commander of the 6th Intelligence Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. She was responsible for over 150 airmen and civilians who conducted Theater and National imagery exploitation, Command and Control support to high-altitude Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, and all-source analysis to provide decision advantage to the Korea Airpower Team.
Education
2004 Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
2005 Air Force Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas. 2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
2009 Masters of Art in International Relations, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.
2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
2013 Air Command and Staff College (Non-resident program), Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
2022 Department of Air Force Fellow, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.
Assignments
1. May 2005 – January 2007, Assistant Officer in Charge, Political, Economic, Command, Control and Communication Element, 603rd Air Operations Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
2. January 2007 – May 2007, Chief, Analytical Correlation and Fusion Watch Desk, Combined Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
3. May 2007 – August 2007, Assistant Officer in Charge, Political, Economic, Command, Control and Communication Element, 603rd Air Operations Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
4. August 2007 - August 2008, Officer in Charge, Fusion Cell, 24th Intelligence Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
5. August 2008 – July 2009, Aide de Camp, Director of Intelligence, Multinational Forces – Iraq, Camp Slayer, Iraq.
6. July 2009 – October 2009, Assistant Director of Operations, 24th Intelligence Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
7. October 2009 – May 2011, Commander, Exercises Flight, 547th Intelligence Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada.
8. May 2011 – November 2011, Collection Manager, Combined Joint Special Operations Command – Arabian Pennisula, Camp Syverson, Iraq.
9. November 2011 – October 2012, Assistant Director of Operations, 547th Intelligence Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada.
10. December 2012 – December 2013, Chief, Intelligence Plans and Exercises, Special Operations Command, Pacific, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.
11. December 2013 – June 2015, Officer in Charge, Joint Intelligence Support Element, Special Operations Command, Pacific, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.
12. June 2015 – June 2017, Senior Intelligence Officer, 18th Operations Support Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan.
13. June 2017 – June 2019, Detachment Commander, Detachment 3, Global Activities Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
14. June 2019 – June 2021, Commander, 6 th Intelligence Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. 15. July 2021 – June 2022, Air Force Fellow, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, California.
16. July 2021 – Current, Commander, Air Force ROTC Detachment 665, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Major Awards and Decorations
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Effective Dates of Promotion
Second Lieutenant May 2004
First Lieutenant June 2006
Captain June 2008
Major October 2014
Lieutenant Colonel 2018