Colonel Nicholas “Cappy” DiCapua commands the 23d Fighter Group, "Flying Tigers", Moody AFB, GA. He directs the flying and support operations of the Combat Air Forces’ largest A-10 operational fighter group consisting of two combat-ready A-10C Thunderbolt II squadrons, an operations support squadron and an air force range squadron--the 74th and 75th Fighter Squadrons, the 23d Operations Support Squadron and the 598th Range Squadron.
Colonel DiCapua entered the Air Force in 2001 after receiving his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He is a Command Pilot with 3,000 flying hours in the A-10, including over 230 combat sorties in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. His flying assignments include Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, OK, fighter training in the A-10A at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, AZ and operational assignments at Osan AB, Korea, Eielson AFB, AK, Moody AFB, GA, Nellis AFB, NV, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, flying as an evaluator and instructor pilot in the A-10A and A-10C.
During his assignment to Moody AFB, Colonel DiCapua was the Director of Operations for the 75th Fighter Squadron. Additionally, Colonel DiCapua completed a staff assignment as Chief of Fighter Assignments, AF Colonel Management Office, Head-quarters Air Force A1, Pentagon. Prior to becoming the Combat Plans Division Chief, Colonel DiCapua served as the Commander of the 354th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science degree in Management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2014 Master of Science degree in Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
2019 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 2001 – May 2002, Assistant Lacrosse Coach, Director of Athletics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
2. June 2002 – May 2003, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK
3. October 2003 – June 2004, A-10 flying training, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
4. July 2004 – October 2005, A-10 squadron pilot and battalion air liaison officer (BALO), 25th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
5. November 2005 – May 2007, A-10 pilot and scheduling officer, 355th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, AK
6. May 2007 – November 2009, A-10 instructor pilot and flight commander, 75th Fighter Squadron Moody AFB, GA
7. December 2009 – February 2011, A-10 instructor pilot, Flight Safety Officer 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, NV
8. March 2011 – July 2013, Chief of Fighter Assignments, AF Colonels Management Office, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
9. August 2013– May 2014 U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
10. October 2014 – April 2017, Director of Operations, 75th Fighter Squadron, Moody AFB, GA
11. May 2017 – May 2019 Commander, 354th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
12. July 2019 - May 2020 Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
13. August 2020 - June 2023, Chief, Combat Plans, 603 Air Operations Center, Ramstein AB Germany
14. July 2023-Present, Commander, 23d Fighter Group, Moody AFB, GA
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,950 1,100 Combat Aircraft flown: O/A-10A, A-10A, A-10C, T-38, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two silver oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2001
First Lieutenant May 30, 2003
Captain May 30, 2005
Major July 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel June, 2016
Colonel May 1, 2022
(CURRENT AS OF JUL 23)