Colonel Lacresha A. Merkle is the Commander, 360th Recruiting Group, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. She leads more than 900 exceptional Airmen and Guardians across 21 states and Europe. She is responsible for enlisted accessions and a variety of officer accessions programs that sustain the combat capability of the Air Force and Space Force.
Colonel Merkle was commissioned in May 2001 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of South Carolina. She has served in a variety of comptroller positions at the wing, center and major command levels as well as deployed to the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyz Republic in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Colonel Merkle is a three-time Squadron Commander and an in-residence graduate of Air Command and Staff College as well as Air War College.
Prior to her current assignment, Colonel Merkle was Chief, Integration and Military Construction Division. Colonel Merkle was responsible for integrating the Department of the Air Force’s $134 billion investment portfolio and execution of the $5 billion Military Construction, Military Family Housing, and Base Realignment and Closure budgets.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, University of South Carolina
2001 Basic Financial Management Officer Course, Distinguished Graduate, Sheppard Air Force Base, Tex.
2005 Master of Business Administration, University of Phoenix
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Financial Management Staff Officer Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2011 Defense Financial Management Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2022 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2001 – June 2003, Budget Analyst, 97th Comptroller Squadron, Altus Air Force Base, Okla.
2. June 2003 – August 2004, Deputy Disbursing Officer and Deputy Financial Services Officer, 97th Comptroller Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
3. August 2004 – July 2006, Weapons System Budget Analyst, 951st Electronic Systems Group, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
4. September 2006 – July 2008, Financial Analysis Flight Commander, 51st Comptroller Squadron, Osan Air Base,
Republic of Korea.
5. July 2008 – February 2010, Command Budget Analyst, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command,
Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. February 2010 – December 2010, Executive Officer to the Vice Commander, Air Force Special Operations
Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. December 2010 – May 2011, Command Budget Analyst, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command,
Hurlburt Field, Fla. (May 2011 - November 2011, Comptroller, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing, Transit Center at Manas,
Kyrgyz Republic)
8. November 2011 – July 2012, Chief, Air Force Budget Operations, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations
Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
9. July 2012 – June 2013, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 2013 – December 2013, Deputy Director, Financial Management, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. December 2013 - June 2015, Commander, 42d Comptroller Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. June 2015 - July 2017, Commander, 18th Comptroller Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
13. July 2017 – April 2018, Executive Officer to the Director of Policy, Programs & Strategy, International Affairs,
Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force (International Affairs), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. April 2018 – June 2019, Lead Planner, Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Strategic Execution Group,
Office of the Director of Staff, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. June 2019 – July 2021, Commander, 321st Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
16. July 2021 – June 2022, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
17. June 2022 – June 2024, Chief, Integration and Military Construction Division, Office of the Assistant Secretary
of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18. June 2024 – Present, Commander, 360th Recruiting Group, New Cumberland, Pa.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters