Colonel Dwight Schmidt, originally from Telluride, Colorado, has a BS in Construction Engineering from The University of Nebraska. After college, he was commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. In 1991, he was designated a Naval Aviator.

After completing multiple deployments, Captain Schmidt was selected to help stand up a new F/A-18 Squadron and deploy to combat with them to Aviano, Italy in September 1994 in support of Operation Deny Flight Provide Promise in Bosnia Herzogovenia.

In 1995, Captain Schmidt became an Instructor Pilot and in 1998, transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve in Atlanta as the Pilot Training Officer. Promoted to Major in June of 1998 while on deployment to the Pacific Missile Test Range, Major Schmidt flew 2,000 hours in the F/A-18 while deploying a Walleye II and sinking a Naval Destroyer.

Promoted during this tenure to the rank of Lt Col, Lt Col Schmidt participated in many deployments from the Pacific Rim to Europe. He deployed to Norway, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. Lt Col Schmidt became part of the first Marine Reserve Fighter Squadron to activate and deploy to war since the Korean War, taking part in the Global War on Terrorism. He was promoted to Colonel and deployed numerous times to Osan, Korea and Al Udied, Qatar.

Col Schmidt’s personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Nine Strike/Flight Awards, Two Navy Commendation Medals, Two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M”, Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal (6^th award),and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

Col Schmidt is married to Renee and has two sons currently playing professional baseball.He is a Captain for Delta Airlines and serves as a military and aviation consultant to the film and television industry.