Colonel Benjamin R. Maitre is the commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 27th SOW plans, postures, and executes precision strike, specialized mobility and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions with special operations forces. The wing is organized into four groups and 24 squadrons, and is equipped with 107 specialized aircraft, to include AC-130W, C-146, CV-22, MC-130J, MQ-1, MQ-9, PC-12 and U-28 aircraft. Additionally, the wing sustains a premier installation that supports operations, training, and the base's 5,700 Air Commandos and their families. The Air Commandos of the 27th SOW execute specialized airpower for operational commanders conducting special operations missions around the world, including direct action, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, personnel recovery, psychological operations, and information operations.
Prior to this assignment, Colonel Maitre was the commander of the 353rd Special Operations Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan, where he was triple-hatted as the commander of Air Force Special Operations Forces in the Pacific and the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component commander for both Special Operations Command Pacific and Korea. He has served as a joint staff officer at Headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command, and as a senior Air Force Fellow at the U.S. Department of State. Colonel Maitre has flown more than 4,000 hours in the MC-130H and HC-130H, and has been an aircraft commander, instructor, and evaluator pilot in two armed services.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science in Political Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2004 Master’s Degree in Aerospace Operations, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, FL 2004 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2007 Master’s Degree in Defense Analysis, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 2008 Air War College, by correspondence
2008 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
2013 National Defense Fellowship, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC
2015 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995 – January 1996, Intercollegiate Administrative Assistant, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO
2. January 1996 – February 1997, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, TX, and
NAS Corpus Christi, TX
3. February 1997 – February 1998, student, C-130E/MC-130H, Little Rock AFB, AR, and Kirtland AFB, NM
4. February 1998 – August 2000, MC-130H Pilot and Aircraft Commander, 1st Special Operations Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
5. August 2000 – February 2004, MC-130H Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, 15th Special Operations Squadron and 16th Special Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, FL
6. February 2004 – June 2006, U.S. Coast Guard HC-130H Exchange Pilot, Standardization Officer and Assistant Operations Officer, CGAS Clearwater, FL
7. June 2006 – December 2007, student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
8. January 2008 – November 2009, Joint Air Operations Strategist and Commander’s Action Group, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, FL
9. November 2009 – June 2012, Operations Officer, then Commander, 7th Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
10. June 2012 – May 2013, National Defense Fellow, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC
11. May 2013 – February 2015, Commander, 353rd Special Operations Group, Kadena AB, Japan
12. February 2015 – Present, Commander, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon AFB, NM
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 4,800
Aircraft flown: MC-130H, MC-130P, MC-130J, HC-130H, AC-130H, C-130E, C-146A, T-37B, T-44A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Coast Guard Commendation Medal with operational device
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1995
First Lieutenant May 31, 1997
Captain May 31,1999
Major July 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2009
Colonel October 1, 2013
(Current as of January 2017)