Norris High School Alumni Association 2010 Hall of Fame

Lt. Col. Marc Cherry

Marc L. Cherry graduated from Norris High School in 1985.  After graduating from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1989, he entered the United States Air Force.  Throughout his military career, he has excelled at numerous assignments, including service as a navigator on both B-52 and RC-135 aircraft.  He also participated in NATO air operations over Kosovo in 1993. 

Recently, Lieutenant Colonel Marc distinguished himself by meritorious service as Deputy Director, Combat Operations Division, 609th Air and Space Operations Center while supporting ground and air operations against the enemy from 8 July 2008 to 1 July 2009. During this period, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Marc magnificently led the largest and most complex Combined Air and Space Operations Center division supporting significant surge operations in Iraq and the increase of kinetic activities in Afghanistan. Under his leadership and guidance, the Combat Operations team orchestrated over 74,000 combat sorties providing close air support and actionable intelligence to Multi-National Forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Forces in Afghanistan.  As division deputy, Marc drove CENTCOM standards for Time Sensitive Targeting information flow, software configuration, and targeting procedures.  He also seamlessly integrated Carrier Strike Group aircraft into the Afghanistan Theater of Operations to increase close air support capability by 32 percent, meeting urgent requirements for ground commanders.  This enabled his team to integrate strike and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft to provide continuous coverage for a 64 hour troops-in-contact event in Afghanistan that utilized 48 aircraft to successfully deliver 60 weapons which were vital to ground forces gaining the initiative after an ambush attack.  He also orchestrated a massive umbrella of more than 400 sorties responding to 83 troops-in-contact events surrounding the highly-contested delivery of a massive generator turbine.  This action resulted in 90 insurgents killed or captured and the safe delivery of the turbine bringing electricity to two million Afghans.  Furthermore, He drove the development and implementation of electronic checklists for the Battle Cab and Combat Operations to standardize performance and enable post-event reconstruction.  This first-ever system also empowered the Shaw Air Force Base Air and Space Operations Center to fully assume Air Forces Central Combined Air and space Operations Center functions in the event of an emergency at Al Udeid.  He paired this new standardization of operations with innovative training methodologies as he led the Combat Operations Division at BLUE FLAG 09-02 where he mission qualified two Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve squadrons and tested and validated the new Trusted Thin Client server architecture, clearing the path for installation in the new Air Forces Central Combined Air and Space Operations Center.  Additionally, Colonel Cherry oversaw development of the Combined Air and Space Operations Center’s Dynamic Targeting procedures and resolved a longstanding gap between target planners and strike aircraft by initiating a Dynamic Targets cell to bolster real-time target development throughout Air Tasking Order execution.  Finally, while serving as acting division chief, he led his division in surmounting a four hour complete loss of external communications, driving workarounds and time-saving solutions that quickly restored theater missile defenses and overall control of air operations.  The exemplary leadership, personal endeavor, and devotion to duty displayed by Colonel Cherry in this responsible position reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

In July 2009, Marc received the Bronze Star for his many masterful acts of merit.  His distinguished service to our nation throughout his military career is clearly deserving of the special recognition afforded by selection into the Norris High School Hall of Fame.

Submitted by David Nosal and Darin Bentzinger