Col Cory M. Damon is the Commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. This composite wing includes airlift; aerial refueling; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and aeromedical evacuation assets, supporting operations INHERENT RESOLVE and SPARTAN SHIELD. The wing provides support to more than 5,400 Air Force, joint, and coalition forces, and 55 mission partners.
Col Damon earned his commission in May 2001 graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He began his operational flying career in the C-5A/B/C Galaxy and later selected as Initial Cadre for the C-5M "Super Galaxy" modernization as an Evaluator Pilot during Operational Test & Evaluation. At Scott AFB, Col. Damon served on Headquarters Air Mobility Command as Presidential Airlift Recapitalization Requirements Manager and as Assistant Executive Officer to the Commander of Air Mobility Command.
Col Damon commanded the 22nd Airlift Squadron operating the C-5M Super Galaxy at Travis Air Force Base. Following a National Security Fellowship at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, he was the United States Transportation Command’s Senior Liaison Officer to United States European Command and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe-NATO. He then served as the Vice Commander of MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and Commander of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing and McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, Kansas before serving as the Military Deputy Director for Studies & Analysis, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
2001 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Master of Business Administration, Trident University International, Calif.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2015 Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2019 National Security Fellow, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Mass.
2020 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Professional Military Education Phase II, Virtual
2021 Defense Ventures Executive Seminar, Virtual
2023 United States Strategic Command’s Nuclear Commander’s Course, Offutt AFB, Neb
2024 Executive Program in Organizational Culture and Leadership, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2024 Global Cyber for Senior Leaders Course, Air Force Digital University, Virtual
2025 Leading Data and AI-Enabled Organizations, Johns Hopkins University-Applied Physics Lab, Ellicot City, Md.
2025 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2001–February 2002, Current Operations, 55th Operational Support Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
2. February 2002–July 2003, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. July 2003–September 2008, C-5 Instructor Pilot, Executive Officer, Flight Commander, 22nd Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.(July 2006-December 2006, Joint Air Planner, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, Djibouti)
4. September 2008–August 2011, C-5M Evaluator, Group Executive Officer, 9th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
5. August 2011–June 2013, Chief, C-5 & Executive Airlift Requirements; Strategic Plans, Requirements, and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
6. June 2013–June 2014, Assistant Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. June 2014–June 2015, Student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. July 2015–May 2016, Assistant Ops Officer & Chief of Safety, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
9. May 2016–May 2018, Commander, 22d Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
10. June 2018–June 2019, National Security Fellow, Harvard University, Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
11. June 2019–June 2021, Senior United States Transportation Command Liaison Officer to United States European Command & Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE)/NATO, Stuttgart, Germany
12. June 2021–May 2023, Vice Wing Commander, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.
13. June 2023–July 2025, Commander, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan.
14. August 2025-May 2026, Military Deputy Director, Secretary of the Air Force, Studies and Analysis, Pentagon, Va.
15. June 2026-Present, Commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2019–June 2021, Senior USTRANSCOM Liaison to USEUCOM & SHAPE/NATO, Stuttgart, Germany as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: more than 4,400
Aircraft Flown: T-37B, T-1A, C-5A/B/C/M, KC-135R/T, KC-46A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with seven campaign stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 5, 2001
First Lieutenant May 30, 2003
Captain May 30, 2005
Major June 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 2016
Colonel March 1, 2020
(Current as of June 2026)