Graduation Spotlight: Wenger brings leadership skills from military cockpit to classroom

Decorated Navy pilot and Air National Guard officer earns master’s degree to prepare for service at home.

Kim Chaudoin  |  05/19/2025

Candi Wenger has flown high-performance fighter jets off aircraft carriers, executed combat missions over Afghanistan and Syria, and led multimillion-dollar test projects for some of the military’s most advanced aviation systems.

But in May, the Athens, Tennessee, native reached a new milestone — earning a Master of Arts in leadership and public service from Lipscomb University.

Wenger, a veteran with more than 17 years of military service, including 12 years as a naval aviator and now as a major in the Tennessee Air National Guard, chose Lipscomb to help her prepare for the next chapter of service — local government leadership in her hometown.

“My time away from home in the Navy gave me an even greater appreciation of the amazing town that raised me,” said Wenger. “I always hoped to serve in local government and was seeking an education that would empower me to contribute to Athens in some way after I retire. Naturally, this program was a perfect fit.”

Now chief of operations for the Combat Operations Division of the 119th Cyberspace Operations Squadron at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Wenger is applying what she’s learned through Lipscomb’s program both in her military career and in her future aspirations.

“Completion of this program allows me to continue my career progression in the Air National Guard,” she said. “Furthermore, the studies in this program gave me the understanding, skills and confidence to pursue my goals in Athens following my military career, whenever that might be.”

Wenger’s journey to Lipscomb follows an extraordinary aviation career. After graduating with her undergraduate degree from Middle Tennessee State University, she earned her Wings of Gold in 2012 and became one of the final Navy pilots trained to fly the EA-6B Prowler. She later piloted the EA-18G Growler, the FA-18 Hornet and the FA-18E/F Super Hornet.

During her time with Carrier Air Wing Eleven aboard the USS Nimitz, she flew combat missions in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom and was involved in the United States’ initial response to the Syrian crisis in 2013. She later served as a developmental test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, where she led advanced testing and program management for the F-35 program.

After completing her active-duty Navy service in 2020, Wenger returned home to Tennessee and joined the Air National Guard just as she began exploring graduate programs that aligned with her long-term goals.

“My experience at Lipscomb has been phenomenal,” she said. “The staff, instructors and even IT support go above and beyond to make the program a positive one.”
Wenger is especially grateful for Lipscomb’s partnership with the Tennessee National Guard, which provided the support needed to complete her degree on a timeline that worked with her military responsibilities.

“Lipscomb’s partnership with the Tennessee Guard enabled so many of us to reach our education goals in a timeframe that, simply, would not have been possible otherwise,” she said. “And to do so while still providing an extremely high-caliber and applicable education is something the university should be proud of.”
Now equipped with both operational experience and advanced training in leadership and public service, Wenger is focused on continuing to serve—whether in uniform or in her local community.

“I’ve had the honor of serving my country,” said Wenger. “Thanks to Lipscomb, I now feel equipped to serve my hometown with that same level of purpose.”