Lt. Col. Kent Monas, Commander, 2nd Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment
LTC Kent Monas was born in Waynesburg, PA and graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 2004. Upon completion of flight school as a Scout Pilot, Kent was assigned to D Troop, 1st Squadron 17th Cavalry, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. He deployed with 1-17 CAV in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom 06-07, serving as a maintenance Platoon Leader and later B Troop Platoon Leader, flying missions in support of the ‘Surge’ throughout northern Iraq and Bagdad.
LTC Monas again deployed with 1-17 CAV to Afghanistan 09-10 in support of Operations Enduring Freedom serving as an Assistant Operations Officer and flying missions as a Pilot-in-Command and Air Mission Commander throughout Southern Afghanistan.
From 2011-13, LTC Monas commanded A Troop, 1st Squadron 6th Cavalry, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, KS. In 2014, Kent received a second Command with F Company, 1-1 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, which consisted of MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aerial Systems. He deployed F Company to Kuwait and Iraq in 2015 in the fight against ISIS as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.
Following qualification in the AH-64E Apache, Kent served as the Operations Officer for 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion at Fort Lewis, WA and deployed as Task Force Tigershark in support of Operations Resolute Support and Spartan Shield, flying missions throughout Eastern Afghanistan in 2017.
In 2018, LTC Monas served as the Executive Officer for 1-58th Airfield Operations Battalion, a tactical air traffic control unit. In 2019, he deployed the 1-58th AOB as part of Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa supporting counter terrorism missions from remote airfields throughout the Horn of Africa. Kent most recently served as the Army ROTC Professor of Military Science at East Tennessee State University.
LTC Monas’ military education includes the Army Aviation Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, OH-58D(R) Kiowa Warrior and AH-64D/E Apache Qualification Courses, US Army SERE-C, Airborne School, Naval War College Command & Staff Course, Common Faculty Development Instructor Course, and the University Senior Leaders Course. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from VMI and a Masters of Defense and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal (OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (2OLC), Air Medal with V device, Army Commendation Medal (OLC), the Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge, and the Senior Aviator Badge.
Kent is a Christian blessed with a wonderful family.