Lt Col Mari Metzler

Major Mari M. “Mars” Metzler is the Aerospace Physiology Training Manager, Headquarters Air Combat Command Training Support Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. In this capacity, she guides Aerospace & Operational Physiology operations for Air Combat Command's largest Training Support Squadron, responsible for training 9,500 aircrew per year from 16 bases nation-wide. Maj Metzler provides squadron commander and deputy coverage for 152 squadron members from 12 detachments across the nation. She is also the Subject Matter Expert for F-22 life support, safety investigations and mishap prevention, and directs F-22 Aerospace Physiology training Air Force-wide. She Manages Aerospace Physiology policies and sustains 13 Aerospace Physiology units comprising of 113 personnel across Combat Air Forces. Also supports U-2 Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance high altitude missions.

Prior to this assignment, she was the Flight Commander of the Aerospace and Operational Physiology Flight at Tyndall AFB, Florida leading a team of 14 Airmen utilizing to provide aerospace physiology training for Department of Defense aircrew, parachutists and civilians from 48 locations world-wide. She provided human performance briefings and consults to 325th Fighter Wing personnel and tenant units, enabling the Fighter Wing’s $493 million flying hour program, generating over 12,000 flying hours and 9,900 F-22 and T-38 sorties annually.

Originally from Billings, Montana, Major Metzler commissioned via the Health Promotions Scholarship Program. Upon graduating with a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) Degree from Des Moines University in 2008, she was assigned to the Medical Corps as a Family Medicine Resident at Travis AFB, CA. She also conducted medical research at the Travis Clinical Investigation Facility until competing successfully for a transfer from the Medical Corps to the Biomedical Science Corps in 2010. She has held multiple flight command positions, including Flight Medicine, Ambulance Services, Health & Wellness Center, Nutritional Medicine, and Aerospace & Operational Physiology.

Major Metzler also holds the rank of Major in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and volunteers for CAP as a Search and Rescue Pilot and Check Pilot, and is an FAA-certified instrument flight instructor (CFII). She has over 1,000 military and civilian flying hours. She is Board Certified by the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) in Aerospace Physiology. She is a Fellow and Life Member of AsMA, and has served in multiple AsMA leadership positions, including President of the AsMA Associate Fellows Group.