Detachment 850 Cadre
Training, Mentoring, Leading.
Commander, Professor of Aerospace Studies
Lt Col Potter
Lieutenant Colonel Trek C. Potter is the Commander, of Air Force ROTC Detachment 850. He serves as Professor and Department Chair of Aerospace Studies at the University of Utah. He is responsible for recruiting, developing, and commissioning cadets at the University of Utah, Weber State, Salt Lake Community College, Westminster College, Ensign College, and the Hill AFB campuses of Embry-Riddle and Park Universities.
Lt Col Potter entered the Air Force in 2001 as an enlisted Civil Engineering Operations Manager and was commissioned in 2007 through the Air Force ROTC program at Detachment 850 after graduating from Weber State University with a degree in Computer Science and Multimedia. He attained a master’s degree in Information Technology Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in 2012 and in Military Operational Art and Science from the Air Command and Staff College in 2019.
The majority of Lt Col Potter’s commissioned career has been dedicated to the operations and defense of Air Force information and communication networks. He has directed cyber operations across the globe from remote Cyber Centers in California, Virginia, and Germany. In his most recent position, he served as Deputy Chief of the Information Warfare Division at Ramstein Air Base, Germany where he oversaw the integration and effective employment of non-kinetic effects, including Cyber, Information Operations, Electronic Warfare, and Special Programs into the Air Component support for the European and African theaters of military operations. Under his leadership, his teams performed critical roles in delivering aid to refugees from Afghanistan during OPERATION ALLIES REFUGE and support to Ukrainian military forces throughout the current Russia-Ukraine Crisis.
Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
Lt Col Lotz
Lt Col Gregory T. Lotz is the Recruiting Flight Commander, and Associate Professor of Aerospace Studies at the University of Utah, Air Force ROTC Detachment 850. He is responsible for recruiting, training and commissioning cadets on the University of Utah campus as well as cadets from six other “cross-town” colleges in the Salt Lake area.
Lt Col Lotz commissioned through ROTC at Brigham Young University in 2006. He started his military service as a Space and Missile Ops Officer becoming an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Combat Crew Commander and assistant flight commander in Montana. He transitioned to a dedicated Space Operations officer in North Dakota and became a Missile Warning and Space Surveillance Crew Commander and trainer. He was a formal instructor at the Advanced Space Operations School at Peterson AFB, CO, where he was flight commander and course director for the Space Situational Awareness Advanced Course, as well as the Space Operations Course for Acquirers and Engineers, and the Missile Warning & Defense Advanced Course. Prior to his current assignment, Maj Lotz served in various Combatant Command and customer outreach positions in the Mission Integration Directorate of the National Reconnaissance Office which culminated in serving as the Chief of Staff for his office.
Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
Maj Liechty
Major Jan M. Liechty is the Education Flight Commander, AFROTC Detachment 850. He serves as Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies at the University of Utah. He is responsible for recruiting, training and commissioning cadets at The University of Utah and from six cross-town colleges.
Major Liechty was born in Utah and grew up in an Air Force family, living in numerous locations across the country and overseas. He entered the Air Force through AFROTC Det 855 at Brigham Young University in 2006, graduating from Utah Valley University. As a Force Support Officer, he has performed a wide array of jobs in many locations, both in garrison and deployed. He is happily married to his wife of 18 years. They have six children together: three boys and three girls.
Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
Capt Keffer
Captain Abby G. Keffer is the Operations Flight Commander, AFROTC Detachment 850. She serves as Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies at the University of Utah. She is responsible for recruiting, training and commissioning cadets at The University of Utah and from six cross-town colleges.
Captain Keffer enlisted as an Active Duty Command and Control Battle Manager in 2005 and commissioned through Officer Training School as a Force Support officer in 2016. Prior to her current position, she led 74 people in 2 sections, oversaw 37 commander support staffs and advised installation command teams in matters of deployments and human resource customer service as Military Personnel Flight Commander at the 673d Force Support Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Captain Keffer deployed to Afghanistan, Africa and Qatar in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL and NOBLE EAGLE.
Captain Keffer incorporates her passions for teaching and leader development as she shares her military experience and delivers academic instruction on Air and Space Force history, heritage and values.
Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies
TSgt Dickinson
Technical Sergeant Wesley Dickinson is the NCOIC of Detachment 850, and serves as Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. He is the focal point for the cadet life-cycle process, and is responsible for oversight and the creating and maintaining records for the University of Utah ROTC cadets as well as cadets from six other colleges in the Greater Salt Lake area.
Sergeant Dickinson enlisted in the United States Air Force Delayed Entry Program, and began basic military training at Lackland AFB, January of 2012. His assignment locations include Gulfport Mississippi, Fort Walton Beach Florida, and San Antonio Texas. Sergeant Dickinson has been deployed 29 times, cummulating over 700 days. Sergeant Dickinson's military background is in Civil Engineering, and with his very unique career path in the Air Force, intends to mentor and grow all future cadets at Det 850 into officers of character, and respect.
NCOIC Administrative Management
TSgt Tornero
Technical Sergeant Alexander J. Tornero is the NCOIC of Administrative Management at AFROTC, Detachment 850, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah. He is responsible for creating and maintaining records for the University of Utah Cadets as well as cadets from six other “cross-town” colleges in the Salt Lake area.
Technical Sergeant Tornero enlisted the Air Force in April 2007 as a Information Management. His assignments include Maryland, Korea, Arkansas, and California. Sergeant Tornero has also spent 517 days deployed to United Arab Emirites, Oman and Qatar.
Detachment Administrator
Ms. Natalie Richards-Gebbia