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| Library > Biographies > COLONEL ANTHONY J. COMTOIS |
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COLONEL ANTHONY J. COMTOIS
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Colonel Anthony J. "Andy" Comtois is the Commander 919th Special Operations Wing, Eglin Air Force Base Field 3 (Duke Field), Fla. He is responsible for organizing, training, equipping, and maintaining the wing's Special Operations Forces, ensuring unit readiness for worldwide deployments in support of combatant commands. The 919th SOW is unit equipped with the MC-130E Combat Talon I, conducts U-28 and Combat Aviation Advisor training in association with the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center, Hurlburt Field, Fla., employs the MQ-1B Predator Remotely Piloted Aircraft and supports worldwide SOF C2 in association with the 623rd Air Operations Center at Hurlburt Field.
Colonel Comtois was commissioned upon graduation from the USAF Academy in May 1980. After graduation from undergraduate pilot training, he was assigned to the 18th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska as an A-10 pilot. He is a 1985 graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School and served as an A-10 Weapons School Instructor. Colonel Comtois joined the Air Force Reserve in 1988 as an Air Reserve Technician at Tinker AFB, Okla., flying the F-16A in the 507th Fighter Group. In 1991 he was reassigned as an ART to Luke AFB, Ariz. flying F-16C aircraft in the 944th Fighter Wing.
In 1997, Colonel Comtois transitioned from the ART program to service as a Traditional Reservist while flying for a major airline. Following a three-year retirement, Colonel Comtois re-entered the Air Force Reserve in October 2006 at Nellis AFB, Nev. as a TR. Following retirement from the airlines in 2007 he re-entered the ART program. Colonel Comtois has deployed multiple times to contingencies in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bosnia.
EDUCATION
1975 Graduate, Churchill Area High School, Pittsburgh, Pa.
1976 Graduate, USAF Academy Preparatory School, USAF Academy, Colo.
1980 Bachelor of Science, Business Administration/Management, USAF Academy, Colo.
1986 Squadron Officers School
1991 Master of Business Administration, Golden Gate University, San Francisco, Calif.
2003 Air War College
2009 Special Operations Liaison Element Directors Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2009 Joint Special Operations Air Component Commanders Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2012 Senior Executive Fellows, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1980 - October 1981, student, undergraduate pilot training, Reese AFB, Texas.
2. October 1981 - December 1981, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
3. January 1982 - June 1982, A-10 RTU pilot, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
4. June 1982 - December 1984, A-10 Pilot/ Instructor Pilot, 18 TFS, Eielson AFB, Alaska.
5. January 1985 - May 1985, A-10 student, USAF Fighter Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. June 1985 - May 1986, A-10 Weapons Officer/Flight Examiner, 18 TFS, Eielson AFB, Alaska.
7. June 1986 - December 1988, A-10 Fighter Weapons School Instructor, USAFFWS, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. January 1989 - November 1991, F-16A Instructor/Flight Examiner/FCF pilot 465 TFS, Tinker AFB, Okla.
9. November 1991 - September 1996, F-16C Weapons Officer/Asst Ops Officer, 302 FS, Luke, AFB, Ariz.
10. September 1996 - January 2000, Flight Commander/Director of Operations, 302 FS, Luke AFB, Ariz.
11. January 2000 - July 2001, Chief of Safety, 944th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
12. July 2001 - April 2003, Commander, 302nd Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
13. April 2003 - September 2003, Operations Group Commander, 944th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
14. September 2003 - October 2006 - Retired
15. October 2006 - March 2007, Operations Officer, 78th Reconnaissance Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
16. March 2007 - April 2009, Deputy Commander, 926th Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
17. April 2009 - December 2010, Vice Commander, 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Fla.
18. December 2010 - Present, Commander, 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 3,500+
Aircraft flown: F-16A/C, A-10A, PC-12/U-28, MQ-1
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with "V" device with five oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1980
First Lieutenant May 28, 1982
Captain May 28, 1984
Major Oct 1, 1990
Lieutenant Colonel Oct 1, 1999
Colonel March 6, 2009
(Current as of January 2013)
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