Colonel David S. Hanson is the Vice Commander, 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Fla. He provides leadership to organize, train, equip, and maintain the Air Force Reserve Command’s only special operations wing. He leads the wing’s special operations forces ensuring unit readiness for worldwide deployments in support of combatant commands as well as directing wing headquarters staff functions. The 919th SOW, in a classic association with the Air Force Special Operations Air Warfare Center, provides operations and maintenance personnel to support aviation advisor programs for the Air For Special Operations Command through the use of the C-145A aircraft. The wing conducts U-28, AC-130U, C-146 and C-145A formal training unit flight instruction through a classic association with the AFSOAWC. It also employs the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft in a geographically separated classic association with the 27th SOW, Cannon AFB, N.M.
Colonel Hanson is a 1991 graduate of Auburn University. His flying assignments include operational tours piloting the C-130E, AC-130H, MC-130H, and AC-130U. Colonel Hanson participated in Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, DENY FLIGHT, DECISIVE ENDEAVOR, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and INHERENT RESOLVE. He has served as Operations Officer of the 19th Special Operations Squadrons and Commander of the 14th Weapons Squadron. Colonel Hanson’s staff assignments include Deputy Director, for the Readiness Division, Headquarters Air Force, Chief, Programs Division, for Headquarters, Air Force Special Operations Command, and Director, Plans, Policy, and Strategy, for the Combined Joint Interagency Task Force – Syria. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School, the Advanced Study of Air Mobility, the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, and the Lorenz Fellowship Program.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Arts degree in History, Auburn University, Ala.
1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 USAF Flight Safety Officer Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2003 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
2004 USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2004 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla.
2006 Advanced School of Air Mobility, Air Mobility Warfare Center, Fort Dix, N.J.
2006 Master of Air Mobility, Air Force Institute of Technology, Ohio.
2007 School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Master of Airpower Art and Science, Air University, Ala.
2008 Air War College by correspondence
2013 Lorenz Fellowship Program, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1992 - December 1993: Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese AFB, Texas.
2. December 1993 - January 1995: C-130E Pilot, 41st Airlift Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
3. January 1995 - August 1996: AC-130H Pilot, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
4. August 1996 - June 1997: Chief, Pilot Scheduling, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. June 1997 - July 1998: Tactics Officer, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. July 1998 - June 1999: Chief, Stan/Eval, 16th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. April 2000 - June 2001: Chief, Weapons and Tactics, 1st Special Operations Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan.
8. June 2001 - January 2002: Flight Commander, 1st Special Operations Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan.
9. May 2002 - July 2003: Chief, Flight Safety, 353rd Special Operations Group, Kadena AB, Japan.
10. July 2003 - June 2004: Assistant Operations Officer, 15th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
11. June 2004 - May 2005: Assistant Operations Officer, 14th Weapons Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. May 2005 - June 2006: Student, Advanced Study of Air Mobility, Air Mobility Warfare Center, Fort Dix, N.J.
13. June 2006 - June 2007: Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL.
14. June 2007 - August 2008: Chief, Programming, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
15. August 2008 - July 2009: Operations Officer, 19th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
16. July 2009 - January 2011: Operations Officer, 14th Weapons Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
17. January 2011 - June 2012: Commander, 14th Weapons Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
18. June 2012 - July 2013: Lorenz Fellowship Program, Washington, D.C.
19. July 2013 - April 2014: Deputy Director, Readiness Division, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Va.
20. April 2014 - August 2015: Chief, Programs Division, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
21. August 2015 - April 2016: Chief of Staff, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
22. April 2016 - Present: Vice Commander, 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 3,700+
Aircraft flown: C-130E, AC-130H, MC-130H, and AC-130U
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Iraq Campaign Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 13, 1992
First Lieutenant Jan. 13, 1994
Captain Jan. 13, 1996
Major Oct. 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 1, 2007
Colonel Nov. 1, 2013
(Current as of April 2016)