Colonel Kari Haravitch currently serves as the Commander of the Contingency Response Unit (CRU) - assigned under the 416th Theater Engineer Command and Direct Support to the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Haravitch graduated from and commissioned out of the United States Military Academy in 2004, graduating with a Bachler’s of Science in Engineering Psychology and a minor in Civil Engineering. Upon graduation, she served over eight years on active duty. Highlighted assignments include vertical platoon leader, Battalion S-1, and Company Executive Officer in the 27th Engineer Battalion at Fort Liberty, NC and Afghanistan, Assistant S-3 in the 533rd Forward Engineer Support Team – Main (FEST-M) at Fort Knox, KY, Engineer Force Generation Planner in Baghdad, Iraq, and the 15th Engineer Company Commander in the 19th Engineer Battalion at Fort Knox, KY.
Haravitch left active duty in 2012 and joined the 80th Training Command where she served as the Facilities Engineer and SGS until August 2014. She then served as the Battalion XO and Battalion Commander for 2-80th Military Police Battalion in Owings Mills, MD. Col. Haravitch then transferred to the J35-South, Army Reserve Element, in Norfolk, VA where she served as the Emergent Engineer Planner. In April 2020, she assumed command of the 961st Engineer Battalion, Seagoville, TX. She passed the guidon in June 2021 and attended resident Senior Service College at National Defense University’s Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. Upon graduation, Haravitch served as the Deputy Commanding Officer with the 302nd Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Chicopee, MA including support to 2ID during Warfighter 24-2.
Haravitch's military education includes Engineer Officer’s Basic and Captains Career Courses, Air Assault School, Airborne and Jumpmaster School, Command and General Staff College Common Core and Advanced Operations Course, and Senior Service College. Other military education includes the Joint Engineer Operations Course (JEOC), the Reserve Component National Security Course, the Joint Operations Planning and Execution System (JOPES) course, various Pre-Command Courses, and the National Security Management Course (via Syracuse University). She holds a Master of Science in Engineering Management from Missouri University of Science and Technology and a Masters in National Security and Resource Strategy from the Eisenhower School. COL Haravitch is a Project Management Institute (PMI) certified Project Management Professional (PMP). Her military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (w/ 2 OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (w/ 3 OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Joint Chiefs of Staff ID Badge.