Nicole Malachowski

Early years, education, and personal biography Nicole Malachowski was born Nicole Ellingwood in Santa Maria, California, to Cathy and Robert Ellingwood. In high school, she was a cadet member of the Nevada Wing of the Civil Air Patrol and participated in AFJROTC, where she was rated cadet colonel, the highest rank a cadet could achieve. She started working on her pilot's license before graduating from high school.

Malachowski is married to Lieutenant Colonel Paul G. Malachowski (USAF, retired), a former F-15E Strike Eagle Weapon Systems Officer. The couple met while both were serving as aircrew in the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. After medically retiring in 2017, Malachowski became a public speaker and patient advocate for people with tick borne illnesses.

She served two operational tours at RAF Lakenheath, England, with the 48th Fighter Wing; assignment to the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson AFB; and as an Air Liaison Officer supporting the 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Red Cloud, South Korea. During her second tour at RAF Lakenheath, Malachowski deployed for four months in early 2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, flying 26 combat missions. She applied and was accepted as a Thunderbirds pilot in June 2005. She completed transition training to the F-16 Fighting Falcon with the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Arizona and flew with the Thunderbird Team based at Nellis AFB, Nevada from November 2005 until November 2007.

After successfully completing her tour with the USAF Thunderbirds in November 2007, including approximately 140 performances, Malachowski served on staff of the Commander, United States Air Force Warfare Center, at Nellis AFB, to June 2008.

Major Malachowski (far right) at July 2009 White House ceremony honoring WASPs. Malachowski was then selected to participate as a White House Fellow in Washington, D.C., from 1 September 2008 to 31 August 2009, serving in the General Services Administration with the Presidential Transition Support Team and as deputy chief of staff. Malachowski has been an advocate of recognition of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), America's first women military aviators who served during World War II. On 1 July 2009, she participated in a White House ceremony at which legislation (S.614) awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to the WASP was signed into law by President Barack Obama. Although she had to use a wheelchair due to a broken left leg, Lt Col Malachowski delivered remarks during the ceremony held 10 March 2010, in the United States Capitol awarding Deanie Bishop Parrish the medal on behalf of all 1,102 WASP pilots.

Malachowski served as deputy commander of the 4th Operations Support Squadron, 4th Operations Group, until 18 November 2011, when she took command of the 333d Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson AFB.

She completed her assignment with the 333d in May 2013 and reported to the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island as a student.

Assignments December 1996 – March 1998: Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 98–03, Columbus AFB, Mississippi. March 1998 – January 1999: Student, F-15E Formal Training Unit, 333d Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. January 1999 – October 2000: F-15E pilot, Ground Training Officer, Standardization and Evaluation Liaisons Officer 492d Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, England. October 2000 – January 2003: F-15E Instructor Pilot, Chief of Life Support, Assistant Chief of Scheduling, Weapons Flight Electronic Combat Pilot, Functional Check Flight Pilot, Supervisor of Flying, 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. January 2003 – January 2004: Army Liaison Officer, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, deputy director of Main Air Support Operations Center, ASOC Fighter Duty Officer, 604th Air Support Operations Squadron, Camp Red Cloud, South Korea. January 2004 – March 2004: Student, F-15E TX-2, Class 04-BTE2, 333d Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. March 2004 – July 2005: F-15E Instructor Pilot, C-Flight Commander, Supervisor of Flying, 494th Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom. August 2005 – October 2005: Student, F-16C/D TX-2, Class 05-ATC, 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona. November 2005 – November 2007: pilot, USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada. December 2007 – June 2008: Deputy Chief, Commander's Action Group, United States Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis AFB. September 2008 – September 2009: General Services Administration, White House Fellow September 2009 to October 2010: SAF/IA Weapons Division, Chief, International Developmental Fighter Programs October 2010 to March 2011: Director of Operations, 4th Operations Support Squadron, Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC September 2015 - May 2016: Executive Director of Joining Forces initiative, White House Fellow

Flight information Rating: Command Pilot Flight hours: More than 2,300 2019: Inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame