Colonel Darren R. Cole is assuming command of the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group in Kabul, Afghanistan. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Deputy Chief of Checkmate, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington DC. Checkmate is the Air Staff's selectively manned operational think tank. In this position, he supervised fourteen Airpower Strategists advocating maximal utilization of airpower in operational plans and interfaced daily with OSD, Joint Staff, HAF, and MAJCOMs. Additionally, he led strategy and concept development for AF Senior leaders.
Col Cole entered the Air Force in 1992 as a graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of Illinois. He is a senior pilot with over 4,500 hours in the T-37, T-1, C-141B, C-17A and C208. He participated in numerous operations including: NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. He has served in a variety of positions within squadron, group, wing and combatant command levels. He deployed twice in the Global War on Terrorism first as Commander, Detachment 2, 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron then as Chief of Safety, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing.
Colonel Cole is married to the former Cassandra Norris of Thayer, Illinois. Darren and Cassie have two children, Alex and Nathan.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Arts, Geography, University of Illinois, IL
1999 Squadron Officer School, Residence
2002 Master of Science, International Relations, Troy State University, AL
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence
2006 Command and General Staff Course, WHINSEC, Ft Benning GA
2008 Air War College, Correspondence
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1993 - Aug 1994, Student Pilot, Reese AFB, TX
2. Dec 1994 - Oct 1997, Instructor Pilot, C-141B, Charleston AFB, SC
3. Mar 1998 - Mar 2001, Flight Commander, Instructor Pilot, T-1, Vance AFB, OK
4. Jun 2001 - Sep 2004, Chief Standardization and Evaluation, C-17A, McChord AFB, WA
5. Oct 2004 - May 2005, Student Officer, Spanish Basic Course, Presidio of Monterey, CA
6. May 2005 - May 2006, IDE Student, Command and General Staff Course,
Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, Fort Benning, GA
7. May 2006 - May 2008, Executive Officer to the Commander, US Southern Command, Miami, FL
8. Jul 2008 - Jun 2009, Chief of Safety, Hickam AFB, HI
9. Jun 2009 - Jun 2011, Commander, 15th Operations Support Squadron, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
10. Jun 2011 - May 2012, SDE Student, USAF Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
11. Jun 2012 - Apr 2014, Deputy Chief Checkmate, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, DC
12. Apr 2014 - Present, Commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, Kabul, Afghanistan
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three devices
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one device
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant November 9, 1992
First Lieutenant November 9, 1994
Captain November 9, 1996
Major May 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2008
Colonel April 1, 2014