Colorado Springs Military Navigators

LtCol Joel Yourkowski, USMC, retired.

   Born in Seattle, Washington, LtCol Yourkowski enlisted in the Navy after high school. While in the Navy he applied and was accepted into the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1983. Upon graduation, LtCol Yourkowski was commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the United States Marine Corps. He was trained as a Naval Flight Officer and Electronic Countermeasures Officer and served in various capacities with Marine Electronic Warfare Squadron 2 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, NC and Medium Attack Electronic Warfare Squadron 129 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, WA. Then he attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA receiving a Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering.

   After graduation he was ordered to Headquarters Marine Corps for a tour with Program and Recourses where he had oversight on the Marine Corps Ground Ammunition Budget. After the Pentagon, LtCol Yourkowski accepted accompanied three-year orders to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, serving with Marine Air Group Twelve. He was then assigned to United States Space Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, CO. After serving 18 months here, LtCol Yourkowski retired in 2004 and was accepted on Staff with The Navigators.LtCol Yourkowski’s current tasks involve reaching out to and discipling soldiers and families at Fort Carson.LtCol Yourkowski has served in a variety of positions. Division Officer, Flight Instructor, Budget Analyst, Safety Officer, Administration Officer, Group Headquarters Commanding Officer and various collateral duties.

   Currently and during his 22 years in the military, LtCol Yourkowski served in many Chapels and Churches, hosted or led numerous Small Group Bible Studies and is focused on outreach in the community.LtCol Yourkowski currently resides in Colorado Springs, is married to the former Miss Donna DeLuise, and has four children; Kelsey (15), Ashely (14), Mariah (13), and Dakota (9).