Colonel Damion Holtzclaw is Deputy Commander, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. The wing, comprised of over 4,300 Airmen, coalition, and joint partners at six geographically separated locations, provides air mobility, precision strike, personnel recovery, electronic attack, logistics operations, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets in support of operations through Southwest Asia. Approximately 300 of the wing’s Airmen are filling Joint Expeditionary Taskings in support of U.S. Army combat support requirements at forward operating bases in Southeast Asia.
Colonel Holtzclaw received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy. During his career, he has served as an aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and evaluations pilot. He completed his operational flying assignments at Dyess AFB, Texas, and Pope AFB, North Carolina and deployed in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, and the Combined Defense of the Arabian Gulf. Additionally, Col Holtzclaw served as a Deputy Commander, 380 Expeditionary Operations Group, Al Dhafra AB, UAE, and as a joint officer at USSTRATCOM, as the Senior Chief of Operations responsible for monitoring & controlling command operations.
Prior to his current assignment, Col Holtzclaw was the Deputy Commander of Civil Air Patrol-USAF. As Deputy Commander, Col Holtzclaw, provided advice, assistance, liaison and oversight to the Civil Air Patrol, an approximate 65,000 members non-profit, federally supported, public benefit corporation congressionally chartered as the official auxiliary of the Air Force.
Colonel Holtzclaw is a Senior Pilot, having logged over 2,400 hours in the T-37, T-1A, C-130E, C-130H, C-130J, and KC-10 aircraft with more than 613 combat flying hours.
He is married with three children Elias (14), Elisa (11), and Elena (8).
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Sciences, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Masters of Ed, Touro University, Vallejo, CA.
2014 Master of Arts in Military Operational Art & Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB
2015 Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS), Maxwell AFB
2021 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB
ASSIGNMENTS
2001 - 2002 Gold Bar Recruiter, Georgia Tech Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.
2002 - 2003 Civil Engineer, Columbus AFB, Columbus, MS.
2003 - 2004 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Corpus Christi NAS, Corpus Christi, TX.
2005 - 2009 Instructor Pilot, 40th Airlift Squadron, Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX.
2009 - 2012 Chief of Evaluations, 2nd Airlift Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, Fayetteville, NC.
2012 - 2014 Senior Chief of Operations J-3O, USSTRATCOM, Ouffutt AFB, Omaha, NE.
2014 - 2015 Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL.
2015 - 2016 Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL.
2016 - 2018 Operations Officer for 621 Air Mobility Operations Squadron, JBMDL, NJ
2018 - 2020 Commander, 38 Student Squadron, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL.
2020 - 2021 Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB. AL.
2021 - 2022 380th Expeditionary Operations Group/Deputy Commander, Al Dhafra AB, UAE.
2022 - 2023 Vice Commander, Civil Air Patrol, United States Air Force, Maxwell AFB, AL.
2023 - Present 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Deputy Commander, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight hours: 2,100+, Combat Hours: 609+
Aircraft flown: T037C, T-1A, C-130E, C-130H1/2, C-130J, KC-10, Cessna 182/20
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Distinguished Graduate, C-130H Aircraft Commander Qualification Course, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2008 Top Third Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Secretary United States Air Force Leadership Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 2001
First Lieutenant May 31, 2003
Captain May 31, 2005
Major March 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2016
Colonel September 1, 2022
(CURRENT AS OF JUNE 2023)