Mark Reimann

Biography

I’m currently living in Franktown, Colorado, having retired from the Air Force in 2018.  I’m originally from the Chicago suburbs, but served 24 years in the Air Force and so I’ve lived all over the continental United States and spent time at several overseas locations.

My Air Force career was a mix of assignments as an aircraft maintenance officer and an instructor and administrator at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA).  Among my several assignments at USAFA I was the Associate Dean for Research.

I received a PhD in Applied Chemistry from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO.  I also have a Master of Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin, a Master of Public Administration from Valdosta State University, and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National Defense University.  I graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1994.

For my hobbies I practice my passion for advanced technology applied to sports equipment and motorsports through off-road vehicle and sports car maintenance and modification, mountain and road bike building, and optimization of lightweight high-performance snowmobiles, snow bikes, ATVs, and motorcycles.  I have done full body-off car restorations and renovated and done additions to several homes.

Education

• Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines
• M.S. - Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National Defense University
• M.S. - Master of Science in Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• M.P.A. - Master of Public Administration, Valdosta State University
• B.S. - Bachelor of Science in Materials Science, United States Air Force Academy

Courses Taught

ASCI 491 Oper'l Apps in Aeronautics

AMNT 416 Avia Maint Mgmt: A Globl Persp

AMNT 490 Aviation Maint Capstone Crs

ASCI 490 Aero. Science Capstone Crs 

ASCI 202 Intro to Aeronautical Science

MAVM 605 Global Maint Resource Mgmt 

MAVM 691 Avia Maint Graduate Capstone 

Professional Experience

 I retired from the Air Force in November 2018 after 24 years as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer and US Air Force Academy (USAFA) educator. 

The last few years of my AF career I was a teacher and administrator at USAFA. As deputy department head in the Chemistry Department I was responsible for curriculum, funding, logistics, and personnel management for a department of 36 faculty and staff, executing 32 courses supporting over 2,900 students annually in addition to managing over $7M in equipment, and a $230K annual budget. Before that, I was the Associate Dean for Research, responsible for the strategic vision, administration, and overall advocacy for a $55M institutional research program. I optimized the execution of a $6.5M advisory and assistance services contract encompassing 39 task orders across all USAFA mission elements while co-leading USAFA’s remotely piloted aircraft training program. The Associate Dean position involved coordination with over 170 government and industry partners and dozens of internal stakeholders. Our research program was identified as the nation’s #1 undergraduate research program by expenditures according to the National Science Foundation.

Prior to that, my career was a blend of aircraft maintenance assignments at the Air Combat Command headquarters staff, in operational units working fighters in a composite wing at Moody AFB, and as operations officer leading on- and off-aircraft maintenance for E-4 and RC-135 reconnaissance jet variants at Offutt AFB. As supportability manager for ACC’s $1.7B RPA program I ensured the logistics supportability of our then-new fleet of Predator and Global Hawk unmanned aircraft that were in development. I then served as executive officer to the Director of Requirements, maturing my understanding of the DoD acquisitions process and its role in the cradle-to-grave logistics system that is the lifeblood of our highly technical and ever-adapting military-industrial complex.

As operations officer in both the maintenance squadrons at Offutt AFB I contributed to our “Outstanding” operational readiness inspection rating, led the largest A-76 transition from military to civilian personnel in ACC history, and managed 815 maintainers to generate over 3,000 sorties and 17,000 flying hours - and the best RC-135 UTE rate ever. Our squadron was the Air Force’s #1 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and I was selected as the 9th Air Force’s top field grade maintenance manager.

As sortie generation flight commander for the 70th FS at Moody AFB, I led 225 A-10 maintainers to produce 1,561 flawless sorties during a three month deployment period. That included a surge of 126 sorties in 48 hours, at the time a record for a stand-alone 24 aircraft fighter unit that may still stand.

As an educator and administrator I have taught dozens of sections at all undergraduate and graduate levels, course directed seven different courses, and led dozens of educators in all aspects of executing funds, designing curriculum, maintaining world-class lab equipment, optimizing assessment, and ensuring general accreditation excellence. I embrace novel pedagogical methods and the use of technology in education, but I also take pride in developing a powerful mentorship rapport with students that transcends the academic material.  Having earned a masters degree while working as a full time maintainer myself, I have great appreciation for the demands and rigors associated with that approach and I’d love to leverage those experiences by helping others through similar challenges.

My time in senior leadership positions in the aircraft maintenance field and academia combined with my experiences studying the intricacies of national and public policy at the National War College not only gave me great familiarity with those policy issues, but has also given me new perspective regarding the challenges that the next generation of leaders in the aerospace industry will face.