Krist D. Beseler began his affiliation with the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in 1995 as a Member-at-Large at Camp Casey in Dongducheon, SouthKorea. During a military leave around 1998, he joined Cochrane Buffalo City VFW Post 10406 in Cochrane, Wisconsin, where he has remained a dedicated member ever since. After returning home to complete his military service at Fort McCoy in 2009, Krist became increasingly active within the organization, serving in various officer roles at his post. Under his leadership as Post Commander, post 10406 earnedthe prestigious designations of All-State and All-American.

In 2021, Krist was electedas an officer of the VFW Department of Wisconsin’s District9, and in 2024, he was elected DistrictCommander. He is currently servinghis second term in that role.

Krist’s military careerbegan in 1986 when he enlisted in the U.S. Army as aninfantryman with the 2/502 Infantry Regiment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. In 1989, he transitioned briefly to the U.S. Army Reserves, serving as a motor transport and heavy equipment operator with Alpha Company, 389th Engineer Battalion (Combat Heavy) in Onalaska, Wisconsin. The following year, he joined the 1st Army Non-Commissioned OfficerAcademy at Fort McCoy as a reserve instructor on active duty.

In 1993, Krist was accepted into the U.S. Army’s Warrant Officer Flight Training Program at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where he graduated as a UH-1H Iroquois (Huey) pilot in 1994. He became a UH-60 Blackhawk pilot in 1995 and, later, in 2006, completed the U.S. Army Fixed Wing Multi-Engine Qualification Course, subsequently servingas a C-12 Huron pilot.Krist was appointed a Warrant Officer in 1993 and commissioned in 1996, ultimately retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer 4 in December 2013 after 27 years of active-duty service.

His extensive military service includes assignments across the United States and abroad, including Fort Benning, Fort Campbell, Fort McCoy, Fort Rucker, Fort Carson, and Hunter Army Airfield. Overseas, he servedin South Korea at Camp Stanley and Seoul Airbase(K-16), and in combat zones at Balad Airbase, Iraq, and Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

Krist holds a Bachelor of Science degreein Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.

He currently resides in Buffalo City, Wisconsin, with his wife Kimberly, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served as a C-130 Hercules medical crewmember in support of Operation Desert Storm. Kimberlyis also a Life Memberof the VFW Auxiliary. Together, they enjoy camping, fishing, duck hunting with their dog Millie, and spending time with family.

Krist continues to serve his community as a civilianfixed-wing medevac pilot for a major healthcare organization based in Rochester, Minnesota.