Lieutenant Colonel Katie Gaetke, Air Force Foreign Policy Fellow
By: Institute For The Study Of Diplomacy
Tags: Air Force, Pilot, Public Service, F 16, Foreign Policy

Jonas: Tell us about your path to the Air Force. What led you to join the military?

Katie: My parents have always been active in the community in Kansas where I grew up: serving in the state legislature, local school board, and numerous civic organizations. They instilled in me a sense of service and value in contributing to the greater good. And then I attended a space camp in middle school, which introduced the idea of becoming an astronaut and pilot. I was hooked. I received an Air Force ROTC scholarship to study mechanical engineering at MIT, and applied for the pilot training spot my junior year.

Jonas: Where has your military career taken you so far, and what have been the most rewarding and challenging postings?

Katie: I’ve been fortunate enough to fly F-16s all around the world — stationed at bases in New Mexico and Arizona, and also Korea and Japan. I’ve flown in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and multinational exercises in the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and Alaska. In my experience, the most rewarding assignments have also been the most challenging. My two years as an F-16 squadron commander was an amazing experience. I was responsible for every aspect of my squadron’s mission — training the new F-16 pilots that came through our school and at the same time leading and developing our squadron’s permanent party Airmen; setting the tone for the squadron and empowering my people to make solid cost/benefit decisions and appropriate risk calculations at every level, coaching individuals through career transitions or life events, and trying to improve the system from within are all examples of challenges I faced during that time. It was incredibly rewarding to have an impact on the individuals I led, and the system as a whole.

Last year, I had the opportunity to work for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. That was another assignment that was both intensely challenging and rewarding. The long hours, the sheer volume of information to try to manage and sort and prioritize for the Chairman’s consumption, the wide span of people and agencies we worked with to coordinate efforts, and the need to lead the Chairman’s support team and staff, all led to a dynamic environment! Working with the entire Joint Staff, all the Combatant Commands, each of the military services, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and organizations across the interagency was an incredible learning experience.

Jonas: What motivated you to join ISD as an Air Force Foreign Policy Fellow? What are you hoping to gain from your time at Georgetown?

Katie: Some military officers are selected to attend a year of school in-residence at this point in their careers. Instead of the typical “war college” experience, I applied and was selected for this ISD fellowship. I was intrigued by the ISD program, and saw it as an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of another part of the “whole of government” we talk about in the military.

This year of school at this point in the career can be a great time to step back from the “grind” of normal operations, and have time for thinking, reflection, and writing. Georgetown offers the chance to do that in a new environment, surrounded by civilians and civil servants who offer fresh perspectives. Although the challenges of COVID have changed what I’d imagined for both the Georgetown campus experience and my personal home life, I’m impressed with the way Georgetown has adapted and offers not just courses but also so many speakers and panels remotely. And with everything being online now, it’s actually easier for me to attend more of these events without having to worry about finding someone to watch my children.

Katie assuming command of the 309th Fighter Squadron in 2016. (Image: Katie Gaetke)

Jonas: Next semester, you are teaching your own course, Women in Leadership in National Security and Foreign Policy. What inspired you to create this course? How have your personal experiences and career as a woman in the Air Force shaped the design of this course?

Katie: I’ve long been interested in seeing Air Force policies and culture evolve to be more inclusive of women and minorities. Within the Air Force, just 6.5% of pilots are women, and fewer than 2% of fighter pilots are women. So I have lived some of the challenges associated with being “the first” in some cases and “the only” one in the squadron or at the table.

As businesses and organizations have come to understand the importance of diversity and inclusion in their ability to solve tough problems and increase performance, the DoD has also made adjustments in recent years to decrease barriers to women’s service. However, women are still underrepresented in leadership roles throughout the National Security and Foreign Policy arenas.

My reasons for teaching this course are partly selfish — I want to dive into the research around gender inclusion, women’s leadership, best practices, and perhaps even strategies for policy changes. I am also excited to hear the perspectives and thoughts of the students and guest speakers we’ll host. I want to use this time away from the daily grind of the operational Air Force to clarify my own thoughts on diversity and inclusion. I think there’s also a real demand for forums for these kinds of discussions right now, and this class can help provide some structure for those conversations. My hope is that students will be inspired and motivated by the readings, speakers and class discussions to see their own paths toward inclusive leadership in national security organizations.

Jonas: Is there a particular book you have read in preparation for teaching that you found particularly helpful?

Katie: Claude Steele’s “Whistling Vivaldi” offers some really interesting insights into how gender stereotypes can affect our behavior and performance. For example, when women taking a math test are reminded of the stereotype that women are bad at math, they actually end up doing worse on the exam. This shows how important it is that we pay attention to how we discuss gender (and other) stereotypes — not just in the military but across other fields as well.

Katie and her husband, both F-16 pilots, in Afghanistan in 2012. (Image: Katie Gaetke)

Jonas: What’s next after your time at ISD? What do you want to get out of the next stage of your career?

Katie: My family will move next summer to Osan Air Base, Korea, where my husband (also an F-16 pilot) will command the Operations Group and I will work on the 7th Air Force staff. Then I will likely compete for a Group Command position for the summer of 2023. I hope to continue to lead and serve, both in the staff position and hopefully in another command job to follow.