Cara Averna, Maj, USAF
- Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
- Operations Flight Commander
Additional Information
Maj Cara Averna
Major Cara M. Averna is the Operations Flight Commander at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Detachment 470, University of Nebraska at Omaha. In this role, she provides leadership and mentorship for future Air and Space Force officers. Additionally, she instructs college-level curriculum covering Air and Space Force history, national security affairs, and leadership development.
Maj Averna received her commission from the University of Kansas in 2012 with a major in East Asian Languages and Culture and linguistic proficiency in Japanese.
Her first assignment was Officer in Charge of the 70th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing’s Operation Center where she consolidated Intelligence from 6 globally separated Groups. She was selected to be Director of the Korean Air and Simulation Center at Osan, AB where she executed two major combined exercises and provided simulated training to over 800k warfighters. From 2017 to 2020, she was stationed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam where she worked as an Intelligence Planner within the Joint Intelligence Operations Center. In 2019 she was hand selected for a joint deployment aboard the U.S.S. BLUERIDGE where she led the intelligence team for a 7th COMPACFLT mission.
EDUCATION
2012 Bachelor’s Degree in East Asian Languages and Culture at University of Kansas
2013 Intelligence Officer School, Goodfellow AFB, TX
2018 DIA Intelligence Planners Course, Ford Island, HI
2019 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2022 Master’s in History from American Military University
ASSIGNMENTS
October 2012—August 2013: Student, 315th Training Squadron, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
August 2013—April 2015: OIC of Wing Operations Center, 70 OSS, Fort Meade, Maryland
April 2015—June 2016: NTI Exercise Officer, 22 IS, Fort Meade, Maryland
June 2016—June 2017: Korean Air and Simulation Center, Osan AB, South Korean
June 2017—April 2018: Northeast Asia Watch Officer, Joint Intelligence Operation Center, Pearl-Harbor Hickam, HI
April 2018—August 2020: Northeast Asia Intelligence Planner, Joint Intelligence Operation Center, Pearl-Harbor Hickam, HI
August 2022—January 2023: Operations Officer, Current Operations Division, Offutt Air Force Base
January 2023—May 2024: Cyber Branch Chief, NC3 Intelligence Fusion Center, Offutt Air Force Base
June 2024—Present: Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Det 470, University of Nebraska at Omaha
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS
Language Enabled Airmen Program (LEAP) 2012-2017
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION (CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)
Second Lieutenant 12 October 2012
First Lieutenant 11 August 2014
Captain 28 August 2016
Major 01 June 2022
Additional Information
Maj Cara Averna
Major Cara M. Averna is the Operations Flight Commander at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Detachment 470, University of Nebraska at Omaha. In this role, she provides leadership and mentorship for future Air and Space Force officers. Additionally, she instructs college-level curriculum covering Air and Space Force history, national security affairs, and leadership development.
Maj Averna received her commission from the University of Kansas in 2012 with a major in East Asian Languages and Culture and linguistic proficiency in Japanese.
Her first assignment was Officer in Charge of the 70th Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing’s Operation Center where she consolidated Intelligence from 6 globally separated Groups. She was selected to be Director of the Korean Air and Simulation Center at Osan, AB where she executed two major combined exercises and provided simulated training to over 800k warfighters. From 2017 to 2020, she was stationed at Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam where she worked as an Intelligence Planner within the Joint Intelligence Operations Center. In 2019 she was hand selected for a joint deployment aboard the U.S.S. BLUERIDGE where she led the intelligence team for a 7th COMPACFLT mission.
EDUCATION
2012 Bachelor’s Degree in East Asian Languages and Culture at University of Kansas
2013 Intelligence Officer School, Goodfellow AFB, TX
2018 DIA Intelligence Planners Course, Ford Island, HI
2019 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2022 Master’s in History from American Military University
ASSIGNMENTS
October 2012—August 2013: Student, 315th Training Squadron, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
August 2013—April 2015: OIC of Wing Operations Center, 70 OSS, Fort Meade, Maryland
April 2015—June 2016: NTI Exercise Officer, 22 IS, Fort Meade, Maryland
June 2016—June 2017: Korean Air and Simulation Center, Osan AB, South Korean
June 2017—April 2018: Northeast Asia Watch Officer, Joint Intelligence Operation Center, Pearl-Harbor Hickam, HI
April 2018—August 2020: Northeast Asia Intelligence Planner, Joint Intelligence Operation Center, Pearl-Harbor Hickam, HI
August 2022—January 2023: Operations Officer, Current Operations Division, Offutt Air Force Base
January 2023—May 2024: Cyber Branch Chief, NC3 Intelligence Fusion Center, Offutt Air Force Base
June 2024—Present: Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Det 470, University of Nebraska at Omaha
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS
Language Enabled Airmen Program (LEAP) 2012-2017
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION (CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)
Second Lieutenant 12 October 2012
First Lieutenant 11 August 2014
Captain 28 August 2016
Major 01 June 2022