James Kepka serving in Utah, Persian Gulf

James “Chip” Kepka graduated in 1999 from Medical Lake High School and went on to Washington State University in the ROTC program. He was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant upon graduation in 2003. He was assigned to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona as an aircraft maintenance officer and helped organize a blood drive for two years at the base.

In 2007 Capt. Kepka was assigned to a fighter squadron in South Korea. While there he taught an English-speaking program to local elementary school children with several other service members.

In 2008 he was assigned to a fighter squadron at Spangdahlem Air Force Base, Germany;

enjoying the different cultures of the countries nearby. In 2010 James volunteered for a year tour in Iraq training helicopter maintenance to the Iraqi Air Force.

After his tour he returned home and joined the Washington Air Guard at Fairchild Air Force Base. He then accepted a position at Hill Air Force Base in Utah as a project manager for the C-130 aircraft rebuilding project for which he was selected.

While in Utah, Maj. Kepka enjoyed running marathons and this is where he met and married Stephanie, an elementary teacher. They have two children. He joined the Utah Air Guard and also was hired as a project manager with a Department of Defense contractor.

Lt. Col. Kepka is presently serving as a deputy commander of an aircraft maintenance squadron in the Persian Gulf and will be returning home to his family in Utah shortly.