Colonel J. Corey Reed is Commander of the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. He supports and directs more than 1,300 military and civilian personnel in 20 units employing eight KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft. The 459th supports Air Mobility Command's worldwide air refueling mission and U.S. Strategic Command's nuclear deterrence mission. In addition, the wing provides a broad cross-section of agile combat support and aeromedical evacuation capabilities to combatant commands in times of peace, war, and national emergency.
Colonel Reed received his commission in 2000 from the New Mexico State University ROTC program. After completing Undergraduate Pilot Training, Colonel Reed served flying tours in the C-17A and has been an aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and flight examiner. He is now a command pilot with more than 4,500 flying hours, including more than 950 combat hours. Throughout his career, he has served as C-NAF and Wing Executive Officer, Wing Chief of Safety, Squadron Director of Operations, and Commanded the 955th Air Expeditionary Squadron.
Colonel Reed has the distinction of standing up three new C-17A squadrons, the 10th Airlift Squadron (AMC), 535th Airlift Squadron (PACAF), and a multi-national Heavy Airlift Squadron (Strategic Airlift Capability) in Hungary. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Reed served as the Vice Commander, 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
EDUCATION
2000 Distinguished Graduate, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M.
2002 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2005 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala,
2010 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2011 Master of Science in Industrial Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M.
2021 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Strategic Studies, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2000 - June 2001, Assistant Information Technology Flight Commander, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
2. June 2001 - July 2002, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. July 2002 - October 2003, C-17A Pilot, 4th Airlift Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
4. October 2003 - December 2005, C-17A Instructor Pilot, 10th Airlift Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
5. December 2005 - January 2009, C-17A Evaluator Pilot, 535th Airlift Squadron/15th Operations Group, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
6. January 2009 - January 2011, C-17A Evaluator Pilot, Heavy Airlift Wing, Pápa Air Base, Hungary
7. January 2011 - March 2012, Chief Plans and Programs, 612th Theater Operations Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
8. March 2012 - June 2014, Chief Commander’s Action Group, Executive Officer to the Commander, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
9. June 2014 - December 2017, Operations Officer, C-17A Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, 535th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii (April 2016 - August 2016, Deputy Commander, 386th Expeditionary Operations Group, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait)
10. December 2017 - July 2018, Director of Staff, 15th Wing Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii (July 2017 - July 2018, Commander, 955th Air Expeditionary Squadron, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan)
11. July 2018 - July 2020, Plans and Policy Branch, NATO Allied Air Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
12. July 2020 - June 2021, Student, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
13. June 2021 - December 2021, Chief, Analysis and Future Programs Division, Office of the Inspector General, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
14. December 2021 - May 2023, Vice Commander, 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March ARB, Calif.
15. May 2023 - August 2023, Vice Commander, 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
16. August 2023 - Present, Commander, 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2018 - July 2020, Plans and Policy Branch, NATO Allied Air Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 4,515
Aircraft flown in: KC-135R, C-17A, C-130H, C-130J, EC-130H, T-1, and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and four oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2000
First Lieutenant June 2002
Captain June 2004
Major April 2010
Lieutenant Colonel October 2015
Colonel September 2021
(Current as of February 2023)