JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas – Col. Kevin Mantovani assumed his new role as the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center vice commander earlier this month.
Originally from Michigan, Mantovani has enjoyed a diverse career that included leadership roles at all levels, a deployment with special operations forces, and an opportunity to help establish AFIMSC.
We asked the colonel a few question about his life, his career and his thoughts about joining our team.
Time in service? I was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Michigan in December 1997.
Hometown? Muskegon, Michigan
Can you please tell us a little about your career leading up to this point?
I began my Air Force career as a developmental engineer acquisition officer and cross-trained to civil engineering in 2002. I’d describe my career and experiences as very broad and unusually diverse. I served three years as a director of operations in a contingency response group where I travelled the world supporting air base openings, pavement evaluations and multiple deployments. One 8-month deployment was with special operations forces where I grew a beard and was 26 miles away when Osama Bin Laden was killed (that was a memorable night if ever there was one).
I also served on the Air Mobility Command staff and, later, at Air Force headquarters where I was on the installation support panel and helped establish AFIMSC. Finally, I commanded a civil engineer squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy, and, most recently, a mission support group at Osan AB in the Republic of Korea.
What about your new role has you the most excited?
The headquarters, detachments and primary subordinate units are revolutionizing how installation and mission support is provided to Air and Space Forces across the globe. We are at a historic crossroads right now and I feel absolutely blessed and fortunate to be part of this amazing team. As the new vice, I have a unique opportunity to help this organization and the men and women making everything happen. I can’t think of a more exciting time or place to serve than right here at AFIMSC, right now.
What do you want the AFIMSC team to know about you?
I’m a very easy going person, approachable and open minded. I am constantly looking for opportunities to make things better and generally see every glass as half full. I'm passionate about serving our Airmen and also about balancing work with my role as husband and father to our four children.
What do you like most about serving in the Air Force?
The Air Force has consistently given me challenging jobs that have been fun and rewarding. We've been able to see the world and make lifelong friends wherever we've been assigned. I am proud of our Air Force family and the people serving every day who sacrifice so much and ask so little in return. I had an opportunity to spend a year as a corporate executive fellow and a huge take-away from that experience was how lucky I am to be an Air Force officer.
What's something people would be surprised to know about you?
I was a contestant on a game show in 2000 called “Greed” with Chuck Woolery, funny story...unfortunately I didn’t win a dime but at least my 15 minutes of fame can still be seen on the Gameshow network if that’s still on the air.
Is there anything you would like to add?
Yes. Our Nation is going through a pretty historic time right now with a global pandemic at our doorstep and decades of racial problems getting the attention they deserve. We will ultimately emerge stronger than ever, I believe, and we must work together to make it so.
To learn more about Mantovani’s career, read his official bio at https://www.afimsc.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/2273039/colonel-kevin-r-mantovani/.