COLONEL MATTHEW F. COLEMAN

Colonel Matthew F. Coleman currently serves as the Vice Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.  The 380th AEW is comprised of four groups and 15 squadrons.  As Vice Commander, he is responsible for the wing’s air refueling, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, air battle management, control and reporting center, ground attack, air support, theater security cooperation and airlift missions in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia.

 

Colonel Coleman enlisted in the Air Force in 1990 and entered the Space Systems Operations career field where he gained experience with the Defense Meteorological Support Program, COBRA DANE, Space Control mission, and the National Reconnaissance Office. He was selected for a 2-year Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship and separated as a Staff Sergeant in 1996. In 1998 Colonel Coleman received his commission after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach, Florida, campus and attended Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training the following year. His flight experience is with the KC-135R/T, KC-10A, as well as the C-17A and has accumulated over 1,000 combat flight hours during six deployments supporting Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. His command experiences were with the 15th Comptroller Squadron (Acting), Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, and the 92d Operations Support Squadron, Fairchild AFB, WA. Colonel Coleman has worked at the squadron, wing, and headquarters-level to include the Joint Staff. 

 

1998  Bachelor of Science, Professional Aeronautics, Cum Laude, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.

1.  August 1998 – April 1999, Wing Exercise and Inspection Officer, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.

2.  April 1999 – November 2000, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.

3.  November 2000 – June 2003, KC-135R/T Aircraft Commander and Training Flight Pilot, 99th Air Refueling Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.

4.  June 2003 – June 2006, KC-135R/T Instructor Pilot, Wing Flight Safety Officer, Wing Executive Officer, and Flight Commander, 912th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.

5.  June 2006 – June 2007, Air Mobility Command Intern, Chief, Technology Integration, 618th Tanker/Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Ill.

6.  June 2007 – June 2009, Air Mobility Command Intern, Chief, Squadron Commander Assignments, Deputy Chief, Officer and Civilian Development, Speechwriter to the Commander, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.

7.  June 2009 – October 2010, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

8.  October 2010 – October 2011, C-17A Pilot, Wing Director of Staff, and Commander (Acting), 15th Comptroller Squadron, 15th Wing, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

9.  October 2011 – June 2012, Senior Director, Air Mobility Division, 613th Air and Space Operations Center, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

10. June 2012 – June 2014, Operations Officer and Assistant Operations Officer, 573rd Global Support Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.

11.  June 2014 – July 2015, Chief of Safety, 92nd Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild AFB, Wash.

12. July 2015 – June 2017, Commander, 92nd Operations Support Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash.

13. July 2017 – June 2018, Student, The Eisenhower School (ICAF), Ft McNair, Washington D.C.

14. June 2018 – July 2019, Strategic Planner, Joint Staff J5, The Pentagon, Arlington, Vir.

15. July 2019 – June 2021, Chief, Department of Administration, Inter-American Defense College, Ft McNair, Washington D.C.

16.  June 2021 – Present, Vice Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating:  Senior Pilot

Flight hours:  2,500

Aircraft Flown:  T-37B, T-1A, C-17A, KC-10A, and KC-135R/T

 

Defense Superior Service Medal

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Afghanistan Campaign Medal

Iraq Campaign Medal

 

First Lieutenant                  May 27, 2000

Second Lieutenant             May 27, 1998

Captain                              May 27, 2002

Major                                  February 1, 2008

Lieutenant Colonel            June 01, 2013

Colonel                              August 01, 2019

 

 

(Current as of June 2021)