Colonel Joshua (Josh) M. Olson is the Vice Commander, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia. The composite wing includes air mobility, precision strike, personnel recovery, electronic attack, logistics operations, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The wing is comprised of more than 4,000 active-duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve Airmen and coalition forces. More than 200 of the wing's Airmen are filling Joint Expeditionary Taskings in support of U.S. Army combat support requirements at forward bases throughout Southwest Asia.

Colonel Olson entered the Air Force through the ROTC program as an honors graduate from Michigan Technological University.  His operational assignments and deployments include KC-10 instructor pilot, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., C-130E/H evaluator pilot, Pope AFB, N.C., and as the 37th Airlift Squadron Commander, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where he led the employment of over 150 Airmen operating 14 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft as the sole tactical and combat airlift for the European and African Combatant Commanders.

He has also served in a variety of acquisition, and staff assignments to include Program Manager, Tri-Service Attack Missile and MC-130H Combat Talon II, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, Aide-de-Camp to the 18th Air Force Commander, Scott AFB, Ill., Chief of Strategic Airlift Requirements, Washington, D.C. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Joint Staff J-7 Deputy Director for Program Management Activities, Washington, D.C. where he was responsible for the development of joint training policy and the $700 million joint readiness account.

EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of science, chemical engineering, Michigan Technological University,

Houghton, Mich.

2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2005 Master of arts, education and administration, Chapman University, Fairfield, Calif.

2006 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence

2010 Air Force Fellow, Strategic Policy Intern, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

2010 Air War College, by correspondence

2013 Executive Business Training, Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia

2013 Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellowship, 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.

2014 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. June 1997 - September 2000, Acquisition Manager, MC-130H Combat Talon II, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

2. September 2000 - September 2001, Student/Class Leader, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas

3. September 2001 - September 2005, Wing Executive Officer, KC-10 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, Training Officer, 60th Air Mobility Wing and 6th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.

4. September 2005 - April 2006, Student, C-130 Formal Training Unit, Little Rock AFB, Ark.

5. April 2006 - April 2008, Assistant Operations Officer and C-130E/H Evaluator Pilot, 41st and 2nd Airlift Squadrons, Pope AFB, N.C.

6. April 2008 - July 2009, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Eighteenth Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.

7. July 2009 - July 2010, Strategic Policy Intern, Air Force Fellows Program, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

8. July 2010 - August 2011, Chief, Strategic Airlift Requirements, Office of Air Force Reserve, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

9. September 2011 - June 2013, Commander, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany

10. June 2013 - August 2014, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.

11. August 2014 - June 2016, Deputy Director, Program Management Activities, J7 Joint Staff, Pentagon Washington, D.C.

12. June 2016 - present, Vice Commander, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1.  August 2014 – June 2016, Deputy Director, Program Management Activities, J7 Joint Staff, Pentagon Washington, D.C., as a colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating:  senior pilot

Flight hours: more than 2,600

Aircraft Flown:  C-130J, KC-10A, C-130E/H, T-1A, T-37B

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal

Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters

Combat Readiness Medal

Afghanistan Campaign Medal

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant            June 13, 1997

First Lieutenant                 June 13, 1999

Captain                             June 13, 2001

Major                                 Feb. 1, 2007

Lieutenant Colonel            Dec.1, 2010

Colonel                              Aug. 1, 2015