Colonel Douglas Lee is the Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale Air Force Base, California. He is responsible for approximately 7,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel. Colonel Lee is also responsible for the Air Force's entire high-altitude reconnaissance fleet of RQ-4 Global Hawk and U-2 Dragonlady aircraft as well as the Air Force's tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance fleet of MC-12W aircraft. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is comprised of five groups and five overseas operating locations, which execute worldwide missions in support of all six geographic combatant commanders with an annual flying allocation of more than 22,000 hours.
Colonel Lee received his commission in 1992 after completing the Air Force ROTC program at The University of Alabama. He began his career as a personnel officer and later completed Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma. Colonel Lee has held various staff, school and operational positions; he commanded the USAF's first MC-12 squadron in Afghanistan, and served as the Vice Commander of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing. He has fought in Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. In 2014, he completed his third year-long extended deployment where he served as Executive Officer for the International Security Assistance Force Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations.
Colonel Lee is a command pilot with more than 2,200 hours in the F-15C, AT-38, T-38A/C, RQ-4, U-2 and MC-12. He has flown more than 100 combat missions is support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH and ENDURING FREEDOM.
EDUCATION:
1992 Bachelor of Arts degree in History, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2005 Master's degree in Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL
2006 Air Command & Staff College (Distinguished Graduate), Maxwell AFB, AL
2006 Master's Degree, Military Operational Art and Science, USAF Air Command & Staff College
2012 Air War College (Highest Academic Distinction), Maxwell AFB, AL
2012 Master's Degree, Strategic Studies, USAF Air War College
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. March 1993 - June 1996, Squadron Section Commander, 57th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, and Chief, Quality Improvement 99th Air Base Wing, Nellis AFB, NV
2. June 1996 - July 1997, student pilot, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, OK
3. October 1997 - July 1998, F-15 student pilot, 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
4. July 1998 - April 2001, F-15C four ship flight lead, Life Support Officer, Scheduling Officer, Assistant Chief of Weapons & Tactics, 54th and 12th Fighter Squadrons, Elmendorf AFB, AK
5. May 2001 - May 2004, Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander and Group Executive Officer 49th Fighter Training Squadron, 479th Flying Training Group, Moody AFB, GA
6. July 2004 - July 2005, F-15 flight lead and Assistant Operations Officer, 33d Operations Support Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
7. August 2005 - June 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
8. June 2006 - January 2007, Chief, Crisis Action Planning Branch, 3rd Air Force, Ramstein AB, Germany
9. January 2007 - January 2008, Director, DCFACC Commander's Action Group, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
10. January 2008 - June 2008, Chief, Crisis Action Planning Branch, 3rd Air Force, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. July 2008 - October 2009 Assistant Operations Officer, 50th Flying Training Squadron, and Operations Officer, 14th Operations Support Squadron, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, MS
12. October 2009 - December 2010, Commander, 4th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Bagram AB, Afghanistan
13. January 2011 - July 2011, Deputy Commander, 9th Operations Group, Beale AFB, CA
14. July 2011 - June 2012, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
15. June 2012 - April 2013, Vice Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, CA
16. April 2013 - April 2014, Executive Officer for the ISAF Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, Headquarters ISAF, Kabul, Afghanistan
17. May 2014 - Present, Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, CA
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS:
1. April 2013 - April 2014, Executive Officer for the ISAF Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, Headquarters ISAF, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight Hours: 2,200 (450 Combat)
Aircraft flown: AT-38, T-38A/C, F-15C, MC-12W, RQ-4, and U-2
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant September 28, 1992
First Lieutenant September 28, 1994
Captain September 28, 1996
Major April 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2008
Colonel July 1, 2012
(Current as of June 2014)