Col Andre Walton is the Deputy Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. The 380th AEW is comprised of 12 squadrons, an air staff, and a special staff. As the Deputy Commander, he is responsible for managing the wing’s staff functions and assisting the commander in executing the wing’s armed overwatch mission, encompassing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and control reporting center assets, as well as theater security cooperation and ACE/DFE and missions in direct support of U.S. Air Forces Central and U.S. Central Command priorities.
Col Walton entered the Air Force in May 2002 through ROTC from North Carolina State University. He began his Air Force career as a Services officer and Protocol officer at the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. After completing Undergraduate Pilot Training in April 2007, he flew the B-1B at Dyess Air, with two deployments supporting OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. He then transitioned to Remotely Piloted Aircraft, where he flew the MQ-1B and MQ-9 across multiple areas of responsibility. Responsible for standing up MQ-9 operations at Shaw AFB, he was the first 4-8-2 Attack Squadron commander at Shaw AFB, SC. He was then assigned to Ramstein AB, Germany in the Air Operations Center and then served as Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commander, United States Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa. Prior to his current assignment, he was a student at the National War College at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
Col Walton is a command and evaluator pilot with more than 2,800 hours in the T-6, T-38C, B-1B, MQ-1B, and MQ-9, including over 500 combat hours in the B-1B, MQ-1, and MQ-9 in multiple areas of operation.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management, North Carolina State University, Raleigh
2002 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Master’s Degree in Organizational Business Management, University of Phoenix
2009 Squadron Officer’s School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2024 Master’s Degree in National Security Studies, National War College, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2002—November 2005, Services Officer, 99th Services Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
2. November 2005—January 2006, Protocol Officer, US Air Force Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
3. January 2006—April 2007, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
4. April 2007—November 2007, B-1B Initial Qualification Course, 28th Bomb Squadron Dyess AFB, Texas
5. November 2007—October 2010, Aircraft Commander, 9th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
6. October 2010—January 2011, MQ-1B Initial Qualification Course, 11th Reconnaissance Squadron Creech AFB, Nev.
7. January 2011—June 2011, OIC of Scheduling, 17th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
8. June 2011—May 2014, Team Lead, 22d Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
9. May 2014—May 2015, ISR Requirements, A5RI, Headquarters US Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. May 2015—May 2016, Chief Commander’s Action Group, A5/8, Headquarters USAF, Washington, D.C.
11. May 2016—November 2017, Base X Project Officer, 432d Operations Group, Creech AFB, Nev.
12. November 2017—October 2018, Director of Operations, 50th Attack Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
13. October 2018—October 2020, Commander, 4-8-2 Attack Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
14. December 2020—April 2021, Strategic Planner, 603rd Air Operations Center, Ramstein AB, Germany
15. April 2021—June 2022, Deputy Division Chief, A35/Future Operations, 603rd Air Operations Center, Ramstein AB, Germany
16. June 2022—May 2023, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander, HQ USAF Europe-United States Air Forces in Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
17. August 2023–June 2024, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
18. June 2024 – Present, Deputy Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,800, including over 500 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-6, T-38C, B-1B, MQ-1B, MQ-9
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two silver and two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 17, 2002
First Lieutenant May 14, 2004
Captain May 17, 2006
Major June 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2017
Colonel November 1, 2023
(Current as of June 2024)