An Air Force colonel is joining the Hawaii public school system’s leadership team.

The state Department of Education said Tuesday Dann Carlson will head the Office of School Facilities and Support Services as an assistant superintendent. The department says Carlson will retire from the Air Force on Dec. 1, which is when he starts with the statewide school district. He’s leaving his position at the Pentagon as special assistant to the undersecretary of international affairs.

The fighter pilot is returning to Hawaii after having served as deputy commander at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam from 2011 to 2013.

The department says Carlson was active at Radford High School where his three children attended. One of his children graduated as valedictorian.

Carlson was also a pilot on the Thunderbirds precision flying team.