Motyka, Edwin

Motyka, Edwin

COLONEL, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE  (RETIRED)– WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN, NY, IN DECEMBER, 1939, AND GRADUATED FROM XAVIER HS IN NYC AND ST PETERS COLLEGE IN JERSEY CITY IN 1961.   JOINED THE USAF AS AN AVIATION CADET IN 1961; WAS COMMISSIONED A 2^ND LT, AND AWARDED NAVIGATOR WINGS IN AUGUST 1962.  AFTER SPENDING 5 YEARS FLYING OPERATIONAL MISSIONS AS A KB-50 & C-130 NAVIGATOR, ATTENDED PILOT TRAINING, AND WAS AWARDED HIS SILVER WINGS IN 1968.   VARIOUS FLYING ASSIGNMENTS SAW HIM SERVE AS A C-130 TACTICAL AIRLIFT PILOT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA DURING THE VIETNAM ERA; INSTRUCTOR PILOT IN THE RTU AT POPE AFB, NC; AND ARMISH MAAG TACTICAL TRAINING INSTRUCTOR WITH THE IMPERIAL IRANIAN AIR FORCE IN TEHRAN, IRAN.   HIS STAFF JOBS INCLUDED STINTS WITH THE MILITARY AIRLIFT COMMAND INSPECTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE AS AN OPERATIONS INSPECTOR, AND CHIEF, AIRLIFT NUCLEAR SAFETY; IN DCS PLANS AS CHIEF, AIRCRAFT DIVISION, WHICH INCUBATED THE C-17 GLOBEMASTER II AND PAVE LOW HELICOPTER AIRCRAFT; AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR, OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS & TESTS.   HE ALSO WAS DIRECTOR OF A SOURCE SELECTION OPERATIONS TEAM WHICH EVALUATED INDUSTRY PROPOSALS TO REPLACE PRESIDENT REAGAN’S FLEET OF C-140 EXECUTIVE JETS. RESULT WAS A BUY OF GULFSTREAM III AIRCRAFT. HIS FINAL TWO ASSIGNMENTS INCLUDED EMBASSY DUTY AS THE AIR ATTACHE IN WARSAW, POLAND DURING THE “COLD WAR”; AND AIR & DEFENSE ATTACHE IN PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA DURING THE DECLINE OF COMMUNISM IN EASTERN EUROPE. HE RETIRED IN AUGUST, 1992, WITH ALMOST 31 YEARS OF SERVICE.  HE IS MARRIED TO THE FORMER MEI LIU OF TAIPEI, TAIWAN. THEY RESIDE IN GRANT, FL, AND HAVE A DAUGHTER, TAMRA, SON JOE, AND 6 GRANDCHILDREN. HE ENJOYS WORKING WITH THE LOCAL AMERICAN LEGION AS AMERICANISM COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: OFFICIATING HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS; AND VOLUNTEER WORK AT PATRICK AFB AND THE VALIANT AIR COMMAND.