Colonel ANDREW KENNEY

Colonel Andrew Kenney is Deputy Commander of the 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Florida. He leads the wing's special operations forces ensuring unit readiness for worldwide deployments in support of combatant commands as well as directs wing headquarters staff functions. As Air Force Reserve Command's only special operations wing, the 919th Special Operations Wing conducts formal training unit flight instruction and special operations missions in C-146 and MQ-9 aircraft.

Colonel Kenney received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 2001 and attended Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Upon completion of pilot training, Kenney was assigned as a C-5 pilot at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, where he flew combat airlift missions in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom before transitioning to Air Force Special Operations Command. Since then, he has deployed several times supporting special operations throughout the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. Prior to his current position, the colonel was the Chief, Standardization and Evaluations, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida.

EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2008 Master of Science, Business Leadership, University of San Diego, Calif.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. Nov 2001 - Jan 2003, T-37/T-1 Student Pilot, 71st Flight Training Wing, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. May 2003 - Oct 2006, C-5 Instructor Pilot/Flight Commander, 3rd Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
3. Mar 2007 - Jun 2008, MQ-1B Instructor Pilot, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada
4. Jun 2008 - Aug 2009, MQ-1B Instructor Pilot/Flight Commander, 3rd SOS, Cannon AFB, NM
5. Aug 2009 - Aug 2010, MQ-9 Instructor Pilot/Flight Commander, 33rd SOS, Cannon AFB, New Mexico
6. Aug 2010 - Feb 2012, Executive Officer, 27th Special Operations Group, Cannon AFB, New Mexico
7. Feb 2012 - Jun 2013, MQ-9 Evaluator Pilot/Assistant Operations Officer, 33d Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, New Mexico
8. Jul 2013 - Jun 2014, Student, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. Jun 2014 - December 2016, Chief Unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance Programs, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina
10. Jan 2017 - June 2017, Operations Officer, 3rd SOS, Cannon AFB, New Mexico
11. June 2017 - June 2019, Commander, 3rd SOS, Cannon AFB, New Mexico
12. July 2019 - May 2020, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. June 2020 - May 2022, Deputy Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Operations Center, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
14. May 2022 - October 2022, Commander, 27th Expeditionary Special Operations Wing/Joint Special Operations Air Component – Central, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
15. October 2022 - March 2023, Chief, Standardization and Evaluations, A3, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
16. March 2023 - Present, Vice Commander, 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Fla.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: 4,300+, including 400 combat hours, 1,900+ combat support hours
Aircraft Flown: C-146, MQ-9, MQ-1, C-5, T-1, T-37
 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with nine oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster


EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2001
First Lieutenant May 30, 2003
Captain May 30, 2005
Major May 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2016
Colonel September 1, 2022

 


(Current as of September 2024)