COLONEL FRANZ M. PLESCHA
Colonel Franz M. "Baron" Plescha is Commander, Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation (AFAMS), Orlando, Florida. AFAMS is the Air Force's top-level modeling and simulation (M&S) policy implementation, integration, and support agency. As Commander, Col Plescha is responsible for maximizing warfighter performance and decision making for all operations through seamless integration of live, virtual and constructive environments.
Colonel Plescha was commissioned in 1987 following graduation from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. During his career he has had 5 overseas assignments with multiple flying tours. His first assignment was as a T-38 instructor pilot prior to flying the F-16. He served as an F-16 flight examiner, flight commander, assistant operations officer, and has several multinational combat missions as the mission commander. Colonel Plescha commanded the 35th Operations Support Squadron in Misawa, Japan and the Warrior Preparation Center at Einsiedlerhof Air Station, Germany.
He has also served in the Korea Air Operations Center and twice at European Command HQ. Colonel Plescha is a command pilot with 3,400 total flying hours. He has 200 combat hours from 61 total combat missions over Bosnia and Northern Iraq. He is a graduate of Air Command and Staff College and Air War College in residence.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Science Degree in International Affairs, United States Air Force Academy, CO
1991 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2000 Master of Arts Degree, Aeronautical Sciences, Embry Riddle University
2001 Master of Arts Degree, Military Sciences, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2007 Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
2009 Master of Arts Degree, Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Sep 1987 - Sep 1988, Undergraduate Pilot Training student, Laughlin AFB, TX
2. Mar 1988 - Oct 1993, T-38 Instructor pilot, Assistant Flight Commander, 86th Flying Training
Squadron, Laughlin AFB, TX
3. Jan 1994 - Sep 1994, F-16 FTU, Luke AFB, AZ
4. Oct 1994 - Dec 1997, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, 23rd Fighter Squadron,
Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
5. Jan 1998 - Jun 2001, F-16 RTU Instructor Pilot, Flight Examiner, Assistant Operations Officer,
63rd Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, AZ
6. Aug 2001 - Jun 2002, Air Command Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
7. Jul 2002 - Feb 2004, Operations Officer, 607th Combat Plans Squadron, Osan AB, Republic
of Korea
8. May 2004 - Jun 2005, Chief of Safety, 35th Fighter Wing, Misawa AB, Japan
9. Jun 2006 - Jun 2007, Commander, 35th Operations Support Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
10. Sep 2007 - Jul 2008, Chief, Security Cooperation Programs Branch, European Command Joint
Headquarters, Stuttgart, Germany
10. Jul 2008 - Jun 2009, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
11. Jun 2009 - Jul 2010, Deputy Foreign Policy Advisor, European Command Joint Headquarters,
Stuttgart, Germany
12. Jul 2010 - Jul 13, Commander, Warrior Preparation Center, Einsiedlerhof AS, Germany
13. Jul 13 - Present, Commander, Air Force Agency for Modeling and Simulation, Orlando, FL
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 3,400
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1987
First Lieutenant May 1989
Captain May 1991
Major Dec 1998
Lieutenant Colonel Aug 2003
Colonel Feb 2009
(Current as of July 2013)