Col     Matthew     R.     Borawski     is the Commander of the 31st Mission Support Group, Aviano Air Base, Italy. He commands nearly 2,300 total force personnel across eight squadrons and two detachments, providing critical base and combat support functions to include engineering, fire and emergency management, communications, contracting, logistical planning, transportation, quality of life programs, and security for a total base population of 10,000. Included are six squadrons assigned to Aviano and four Geographically Separated Units, including units at Campia Turzii, Romania, Larissa Air Base, Greece, Pápa Air Base, Hungary, and Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy with an infrastructure portfolio valued at over $4 billion in support of the 31st Fighter Wing’s eight operational squadrons.

Col Borawski entered the Air Force in May 2003 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He has held various positions across the civil engineer career-field at the Base, Major Command, and Air Staff level. His assignments include command and staff experience as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal qualified Civil Engineer Officer, as well as overseas assignments in the Pacific Air Forces and United

States Air Forces in Europe. He has deployed in support of contingency operations to locations including Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, and Afghanistan, and served as a National Defense Fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Prior to his current assignment, Col Borawski was the Commander, 1st Expeditionary Theater Support Group, 9th Air Force (Air Forces Central), Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.

EDUCATION

2003 Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 2003 Air and Space Basic Course, In-residence, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

2007 Squadron Officer School, In-residence, Top Third Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2010 Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Eglin AFB, Fla.

2014 Master of Science degree in Project Management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

2017 Master of Military Operational Art & Science, with academic distinction, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2019 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2024 National Defense Fellow (SDE), International Security Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. May 2003 – May 2004, Chief, Programming, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan
2. May 2004 – July 2005, Chief, Pollution Prevention, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan (October 2004 – May 2005, Operations Officer, 732d Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Det 11, Camp Doha, Kuwait)
3. July 2005 – July 2006, Deputy Chief, Base Development, 51st Civil Engineer Squadron, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
4. July 2006 – August 2009, Chief, Operations Support, 48th Civil Engineer Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, U.K. (April 2007 – October 2007, Garrison Engineer, Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan)
5. August 2009 – May 2010, Student, Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
6. May 2010 – July 2013, Flight Commander, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Spangdahlem AB, Germany (July 2011 – February 2012, EOD Flight Commander, 966 Air Expeditionary Squadron, FOB Ghazni, Afghanistan)
7. July 2013 - July 2015, Branch Chief, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, HQ Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley- Eustis, Va.
8. July 2015 – July 2016, Operations Flight Commander, 633d Civil Engineer Squadron, JB Langley-Eustis, VA (July 2015 – January 2016, Deputy Chief, Air Force Civil Engineer Center Strategic Design and Construction Division, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
9. July 2016 – July 2017, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 2017 – June 2018, Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Program Director, HQ USAF/A4C, Washington, D.C.
11. June 2018 – July 2019, Lead Planner, SecAF-CSAF Strategic Execution Group, HQ USAF/DSX, Washington, D.C.
12. June 2019 – June 2021, Commander, 31st Civil Engineer Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
13. July 2021 – July 2023, Chief, Theater Infrastructure Branch, Logistics Directorate, U.S. European Command, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany
14. July 2023 – June 2024, National Defense Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
15. July 2024 – June 2025, Commander, 1st Expeditionary Theater Support Group, 9th Air Force (AFCENT), Al Udeid AB, Qatar
16. July 2023 – Current, Commander, 31st Mission Support Group, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy

17.  

    SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

    1. July 2021 – July 2023, Chief, Theater Infrastructure Branch, Logistics Directorate, U.S. European Command, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant colonel

     

    MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

    Legion of Merit

    Bronze Star Medal

    Defense Meritorious Service Medal

    Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters

    Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster Army Commendation Medal

    Air Force Achievement Medal Air Force Combat Action Medal

    EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

    Second Lieutenant May 28, 2003

    First Lieutenant May 28, 2005

    Captain May 28, 2007

    Major July 1, 2013

    Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2018

    Colonel July 1, 2024

     

    (Current as of July 2025)