Colonel (retired) Steve Koenig was commissioned an Army Aviator through ROTC at Xavier University in 1986. He has held leadership positions from Platoon Leader through Battalion Commander and has had assignments in Germany, Korea, Colombia (South America), Ft Hood, Ft Bliss, West Point, the Pentagon and Iraq. He is qualified in two types of Army helicopters and five different Army airplanes. He was in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 and served in different rolls while deployed to Iraq for various lengths of time in 2004, 2005 and 2006. In his role as Senior Aviation Officer to the Army G-2, he was responsible for 23 separate military intelligence aviation programs with a total budget of $1.23 billion dollars. He was directly responsible for the development, organization, equipping and deployment of Task Force ODIN – Afghanistan; Army MARSS (AFG), TACOPS and VADER aircraft development and deployment, as well as classified doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance aircraft operations. He is a graduate of numerous Army schools including Aviation Officer Basic Course, Military Intelligence Advance Course and The Command and General Staff College. He has a Bachelors degree in Industrial Relations from XU and a Master of Science in Education and Leadership from Long Island University. He retired after 24 years and his awards and decorations include Master Aviator with over 4000 flight hours, the Army Parachutist Badge, the Legion of Merit, the Iraq Campaign Medal with one battle star and numerous other awards.
He is a life member of both the Army Aviation Association of America and the VFW, and a member of the American Legion, AUSA and the Disable American Veterans. He is a recipient of the Army Aviation Association of America Order of St Michael (Bronze) and the Military Intelligence Corps Association Knowlton Award.
In retirement he is an avid General Aviation airplane owner and pilot and is employed as a commercial Boeing 777 airline pilot holds FAA type ratings in the EMB-145, ERJ 170/175/190 and B777. He has been recognized by both La Salle High School, Cincinnati, Ohio (Community Pillar Award 2012) and Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio (ROTC Hall of Fame 2017) for his contributions. He is a volunteer with the Knights of Columbus, La Salle High School Veterans Appreciation Board, the XU ROTC Alumni Advisory Board and Civil Air Patrol.
He is married to LTC (retired) Cindy Koenig for 34 blessed years and they reside northwest of Columbus Ohio.
