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Col 27 SOW Vice Commander

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Colonel Graham was born in Midwest City, OK, and received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1999. He has served as an MH-53 instructor pilot, CV-22 evaluator pilot, MQ-1 aircraft commander, and MQ-9 evaluator pilot, with combat experience supporting multiple contingency operations. Col Graham’s prior staff experience was as a Compartmented Planner in the Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Joint Special Operations Command; as a planner in the Joint Operational War Plans Division, Joint Staff J-5; and as a Division Chief in the Deputy Directorate for Special Operations and Counterterrorism, Joint Staff J-3. His previous command experience was as the commander, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, during which time the squadron was awarded the 2016 General Atomics Trophy as the most outstanding MQ-1/MQ-9 squadron in the United States Air Force. Col Graham is a graduate of the US Air Force Weapons School and the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. He received Distinguished Graduate honors from Undergraduate Pilot Training, MH-53 initial qualification training, the US Air Force Weapons School, and Air Command and Staff College. Col Graham is the recipient of the 2008 Colonel James Jabara Award for Airmanship. Col Graham is a Command Pilot with more than 1700 hours. He is married to Dana Graham, and they have two children, Keira and Danielle.

 

EDUCATION

 

  • 1999 Bachelor of Science, History, United States Air Force Academy, CO
  • 2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 2007 Master of Arts in Military Studies, American Military University
  • 2011 Masters of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 2012 Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 2014 Air War College (By Correspondence)
  • 2018 Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Ft McNair AIN, DC

 

ASSIGNMENTS

 

  • Aug 1999 – Jul 2000:  Squadron Scheduler/Planner, 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
  • Aug 2000 – Apr 2001:  T-37 Student Pilot, 33rd Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, OK
  • Jun 2001 – Dec 2001:  UH-1H Student Pilot, 23rd Flying Training Squadron, Fort Rucker AIN, AL
  • Jan 2002 – Nov 2002:  MH-53 Student Pilot, 551st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, NM
  • Dec 2002 – Jun 2006:  MH-53 Crew Commander and Instructor Pilot, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
  • Jul 2006 – Dec 2006:  Student, US Air Force Weapons School
  • Feb 2007 – Feb 2008:  CV-22 Student Pilot, 71st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, NM
  • Mar 2008 – Jul 2009:  Chief of Current Ops/Student Flight Commander/Chief of Stan/Eval, 71st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, NM
  • Aug 2009 – Jun 2010:  Deputy Chief, Group Stan/Eval, 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, NM
  • Jul 2010 – Jun 2011:  Student, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • Jul 2011 – Jun 2012:  Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • Jun 2012 – Jun 2014:  Compartmented Planner, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Fort Bragg AIN, NC
  • Jun 2014 – Jan 2016:  Operations Officer, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM 
  • Jan 2016 – Jun 2017:  Commander, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
  • Aug 2017 – Jun 2018:  Student, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Ft McNair AIN, DC
  • Jun 2018 – Jun 2019:  Planner, Joint Operational War Plans Division, Joint Staff J5, Pentagon
  • Jul 2019 – Jul 2020:  Sensitive Activities Division Chief, Deputy Directorate for Special Operations and Counterterrorism, Joint Staff J3, Pentagon
  • Jul 2020 – Present:  Vice Commander, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon AFB, NM

 

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

 

  • Jun 2012 – Jun 2014:  Compartmented Planner, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Fort Bragg AIN, NC
  • Jun 2018 – Jun 2019:  Planner, Joint Operational War Plans Division, Joint Staff J5, Pentagon
  • Jul 2019 – Jul 2020:  Sensitive Activities Division Chief, Deputy Directorate for Special Operations and Counterterrorism, Joint Staff J3, Pentagon

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

 

  • Rating: Command Pilot
  • Flight Hours: 1700+, including 400+ combat hours, 300+ combat support hours
  • Aircraft Flown: MQ-9, MQ-1, CV-22, MV-22, MH-53, UH-1H, T-37

 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

 

  • Defense Superior Service Medal
  • Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
  • Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
  • Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters
  • Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
  • Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
  • Air Force Commendation Medal
  • Joint Service Achievement Medal
  • Air Force Achievement Medal
  • Air Force Combat Action Medal

 

OTHER AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

 

  • 2008 Colonel James Jabara Award for Airmanship
  • 2016 General Atomics MQ-1/9 Trophy

 

 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

 

  • Second Lieutenant - 02 Jun 1999
  • First Lieutenant - 02 Jun 2001
  • Captain - 02 Jun 2003
  • Major - 01 Feb 2009
  • Lieutenant Colonel - 01 Dec 2013
  • Colonel - 07 Jun 2019