Mitchell Chaffee Appreciative Of Wife’s Military Service

Mitchell Chaffee will have a little extra to play for on Saturday when the New York Islanders host the New Jersey Devils for Military Appreciation Night at UBS Arena. 

Chaffee’s wife Courtney is an intelligence officer for F-16 fighter jets with the 179th Fighter Squadron, the aerial piece of the Minnesota Air National Guard’s 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth.  

Courtney is weeks away from reaching 10 years of military service.  

“She's brilliant,” Chaffee said. “She's done a lot, and she's been in the military for almost 10 years now, and it's really impressive for her to do that. Let alone with how she supports me, and it's sweet. She's been deployed, and it's special for me to cheer her on and go support her and her career and what she wants to do and she does the same for me.” 

Mitchell and Courtney met in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2022 when the former was a black ace for the Minnesota Wild, a group of organizational prospects gathered to be ready for a playoff stretch.  

Courtney was concluding her master’s degree program from University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and was stationed at the 148th Fighter Wing when the two met.

Courtney has risen through the ranks, a byproduct of completing officer school and F-16 training . It’s a set of accomplishments that Mitchell has taken pride in as he watches her career blossom.  

“It was pretty cool to be able to meet her and have that chapter of our lives,” Mitchell said. “We've been in Florida, we've been here [Long Island] and we've really enjoyed it. She does everything to support me, and I want to try and give that back. I'm so proud of her and grateful for her that she's able to follow her career, especially with all the stuff she's done.”

As part of her responsibilities as an intel officer, Courtney briefs F-16 pilots – who operate jets that can reach upwards of Mach 2 which is approximately 1,500 mph – before their missions. 

Courtney also ensures the security and progress of tactical missions by communicating with the pilots who may have to engage in air combat or launch strikes on a particular target. Courtney is also an adolescent psychologist and returns to the base once a month for drill activities. 

The couple has done plenty of moving. Courtney and Mitchell have moved with Mitchell’s hockey career, taking them to Syracuse and Tampa Bay while Mitchell was with the Lightning before moving together to Long Island. During her nearly 10 years of military service, Courtney was deployed to Kadena Air Base in Japan and returned to the United States in 2024 while Mitchell was in his second season with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“She’s gone over to Japan for a little while, so she's gone through it,” Mitchell said. “It's pretty cool. She's experienced a lot of stuff that people wouldn't experience and see... She has to know everything there is about the F-16 fighter jet.” 

Mitchell’s grandfather was also in the Air Force, a dynamic that’s become a bonding point between him and Courtney.  

Mitchell – who’s logged six games during his first year with the Islanders – said his appreciation for the military has grown during his relationship with Courtney and he’ll get to showcase that support on Saturday against the Devils.  

“Just the stuff that they've gone through and the role that they play, it's everyone,” Mitchell said. “It doesn't matter if you're overseas or you're here. Everyone who is a part of the military makes a big impact, and I think that's something that you need to be grateful for. There's so many people that are risking their lives and the day-to-day and doing all these things for us behind the scenes, so you just need to be grateful.”