Colonel Mary P. Ortiz is the Deputy Wing Commander at the 113 Wing, District of Columbia Air National Guard, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. She is responsible for organizing, training and equipping over 1000 airmen across four groups. She manages an annual budget of over two million dollars and coordinates with higher headquarters for mission execution. She is the principal advisor to the Wing Commander.
Colonel Ortiz was commissioned as a Distinguished Graduate through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Howard University in 2005. She attended pilot training at Laughlin AFB, Texas and was assigned the C-21 at Joint Base Andrews as her first operational duty assignment. Colonel Ortiz has also flown the RC-135 for the Nebraska Air National Guard and the C-40 for the DC Air National Guard. She has held numerous staff positions to include Tactical Airlift Functional Area Manager, Director of Legislative Affairs for the National Security Council, Chief of Strategic Communications for the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Strategic Plans Branch Chief for the Air National Guard. She was the commander of the 113 Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 113 Maintenance Group.
EDUCATION
2005 Bachelor of Philosophy, Catholic University, Washington, DC, Summa Cum Laude
2011 Master of International Relations, Webster University, St Louis, MO
2023 Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Washington DC Distinguished Graduate
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 1300+
Aircraft flown: C-40, C-21, RC-135
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
1. Meritorious Service Medal 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
2. Aerial Achievement Medal
3. Joint Service Commendation Medal
4. Air and Space Commendation Medal 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
5. Air and Space Achievement Medal 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
6. Meritorious Unit Award 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
7. Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
8. Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award
- 9. Combat Readiness Medal
- 10. National Defense Service Medal
- 11. Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- 12. Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
13. Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
14. Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
15. Air and Space Longevity Service Award 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
16. Air and Space Training Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 13, 2005
First Lieutenant June 1, 2007
Captain March 1, 2010
Major June 12, 2015
Lieutenant Colonel June 13, 2019
Colonel July 27, 2023
(CURRENT AS OF FEB 2026)