Colonel Nicole Malachowski (USAF, Retired) was born in Santa Maria, CA and graduated high school in Las Vegas, NV. She earned her commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1996 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and a minor in French. Following graduation she attended Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) at Columbus AFB, MS and began her career as pilot. Competitively selected to fly combat aircraft, she embarked on an adventure among the first group of women to fly fighter aircraft. Among Colonel Malachowski's many achievements, she also had the honor of serving in several special duty assignments. One of those great assignments was being selected to fly as Thunderbird #3 with the USAF Air Demonstration Squadron and was the first woman to fly on any Department of Defense military jet demonstration team. Nicole’s successful military career ended prematurely, as she was medically retired from service due to the impact of late stage, neurological, Tick Borne Illness. As a newly minted Wounded Warrior in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program, she relishes any opportunity to talk about her medical journey and gains energy from educating others about the growing Tick Borne Illness epidemic.
