An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
HomeUnits380th Air Expeditionary WingSenior LeadershipDisplay

Colonel Benjamin W. Couchman

Colonel Benjamin W. Couchman is the Wing Commander of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. Colonel Couchman is responsible for the Wing’s armed over-watch mission, encompassing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the command-and-control reporting center assets, as well as theatre security cooperation and Agile Combat Employment enabling Dynamic Force Employment missions in direct support of U.S. Air Force Central and U.S. Central Command priorities.


Colonel Couchman began his military career after graduating and commissioning from the United States Air Force Academy in May 2002. He graduated F16 Basic Course in August 2005 and spent 14 years on active duty followed by 8 years with the Air National Guard. While on active duty, he served as an F-16 evaluator and instructor pilot, stationed with the 555th FS at Aviano AB for two assignments and the 80th FS at Kunsan AB for one. Col Couchman also served with the 17th Special Tactics Squadron as a Special Operations jump Air Liaison Officer and Joint Terminal Attack Controller attached to the 75th Ranger Regiment. He joined the COANG in 2016 where he has filled multiple roles, including Airburst Range Commander, 120th Fighter Squadron Commander, and 140th Operations Group
Commander. Prior to his current position, the Colonel was the Director of Air Staff, Colorado Air National Guard, Buckley SFB, Colorado.


He has over 100 HALO and HAHO jumps and deployed three times in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Afghanistan, as a strike force and reconnaissance JTAC attached to various Task Force operations. He is also a command pilot with more than 2900 hours in the F-16C, having flown over 800 combat hours in Operations Resolute Support and Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan and Operation Inherent Resolve out of Saudi Arabia over the course of three more deployments.

 

EDUCATION

2002 Bachelor of Science, Operations Research, USAFA, Colorado Springs, CO

2008 USAF Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Montgomery, AL

2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL

2013 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University

2014 Master of Science, Operations Research, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA

2019 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL

 

ASSIGNMENTS or CAREER CHRONOLOGY

  1. April 2003 – May 2004, Student, USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training, 80 OSS, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
  2. August 2005 – November 2005, Squadron Scheduler/F-16 Pilot, 555 FS, Aviano Air Base, Italy
  3. November 2005 – June 2007, Air to Ground WPNS Off/F-16 FL, 555 FS, Aviano AB, Italy
  4. June 2007 – June 2008, Electronic Combat Pilot/F-16 FL, 555 FS, Aviano AB, Italy
  5. June 2008 – February 2009, Chief of Combat Employment/F-16 FL, 8 OSS, Kunsan AB, Korea
  6. February 2009 – November 2010, C Flight CC/F-16 IP, 80 FS, Kunsan AB, Korea
  7. November 2010 – January 2012, Flight Commander/Spec Ops ALO, 17th STS, Ft Benning, Georgia (Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Afghanistan x 2)
  8. January 2012 – July 2013, Assistant Director of Operations/Spec Ops ALO, 17th STS, Ft Benning, Georgia (Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Afghanistan)
  9. July 2013 – May 2014, Assistant Director of Ops/Flight Equip Off/F-16 IP, 31 OSS, Aviano AB, Italy
  10. May 2014 – July 2016, Assistant Director of Ops/Chief of Stan Eval, 555 FS, Aviano AB, Italy (Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and Inherent Resolve, Afghanistan)
  11. July 2016 – June 2018, Range Control Officer, 140 OSS, Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado
  12. June 2018 – June 2019, Range Commander, 140 OSS, Buckley SFB, Colorado (Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and Inherent Resolve, Afghanistan)
  13. June 2019 – January 2020, 140 OSS Director of Operations, 140 OSS, Buckley SFB, Colorado
  14. January 2020 – May 2021, Chief of Staff/Wing Plans, 140 WG, Buckley SFB, Colorado
  15. May 2021 – May 2022, 120 FS Commander, 120 FS, Buckley SFB, Colorado (Operation Inherent Resolve, Saudi Arabia)
  16. May 2022 – April 2024, Commander, 140 OG, 140 OG, Buckley SFB, Colorado
  17. April 2024 – November 2024, Director of Air Staff, Joint Force Headquarters, Colorado
  18. November 2024-March 2025, Wing Commander, 140th Wing, Buckley SFB, Colo.
  19. March 2025-Present, Wing Commander, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra AB, UAE

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

  1. November 2010 – January 2012, Flight Commander/Spec Ops ALO, 17th STS, Ft Benning, Georgia, as a Captain (Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Afghanistan x 2)
  2. January 2012 – July 2013, Assistant Director of Operations/Spec Ops ALO, 17th STS, Ft Benning, Georgia, as a Major (Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Afghanistan)

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating:  Command Pilot

Flight hours:  2910 (841 Combat)

Aircraft flown:  T-37, AT-38 and F-16

 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Bronze Star

Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with 6 “C” devices and 5 oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal

Air and Space Commendation Medal with 2 “C” devices and 1 oak leaf cluster

Air and Space Achievement Medal

 

OCCUPATIONAL BADGES

Command Pilot Badge

Military Freefall Parachutist Badge

Parachute Badge

Air Assault Badge