Colonel Lyle K. Drew is the commander of the 49th Maintenance Group, Holloman AFB, N.M. As commander, he manages plans, programs, and implements policies and procedures that affect 700 maintenance personnel in two squadrons. He is responsible for all equipment aircraft maintenance of 12 MQ-1 Predators and 17 MQ-9 Reapers to meet the 49th Wing operational training and contingency tasking as assigned by Combatant Commanders and the Secretary of Defense against high value, heavily defended targets. He also manages 49th Wing sortie production, fleet training, weapons standardization and quality assurance. He is responsible for over $2.4 billion in total assets including aircraft, avionics, test equipment, engines and munitions.
Prior to his arrival at Holloman, he was a Politico-Military Planner, Partnership Coordination Division, Deputy Director for Global Policy and Partnerships, Directorate for Strategic Plans and Policy (J5), at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. In this capacity, he oversaw the development, coordination, refining, and assessment of United States military and national policies related to the development and sustainment of coalitions.
Colonel Drew was born and raised in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. He entered the Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Purdue University in 1994. He has held a variety of jobs including positions in aircraft maintenance, acquisition program management, and professional military education. He also served as the Aide-de-camp to the Air University Commander at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science, Agricultural Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
1998 Master of Business Administration, Western New England College, Springfield, Mass.
1999 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Intermediate Developmental Education, Defense Legislative Fellow for Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT), Washington, D.C.
2012 Air War College, by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1995 - July 1997, Program Manager, Military Airspace Management Systems, Communications & Airspace Systems Program Office, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
2. July 1997 - June 1998, Executive Officer, Global Air Traffic Operations, Mobility C2 Systems Program Office, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
3. June 1998 - May 1999, OIC, Maintenance Operations Center, 412th Logistics Support Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
4. May 1999 - December 1999, Heavy Logistics Test Flight Commander, 450th Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
5. January 2000 - January 2001, F-16 Logistics Test Flight Commander, 412th Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
6. January 2001 - May 2002, Flight Commander, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. May 2002 - December 2002, Executive Officer, Squadron Officer College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. December 2002 - January 2004, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. February 2004 - April 2004, Propulsion Flight Commander, 355th Component Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
10. April 2004 - December 2004, Maintenance Operations Officer, 355th Component Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
11. December 2004 - May 2006, Maintenance Operations Officer, 355th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
12. June 2006 - July 2008, Commander, 51st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
13. July 2008 - December 2009, Intermediate Developmental Education, Defense Legislative Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
14. January 2010 - June 2010, Deputy Legislative Assistant to the Chairman, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. June 2010 - July 2011, Deputy Commander, 332nd Expeditionary Maintenance Group, Joint Base Balad, Iraq
16. August 2011 - July 2012, Senior Total Force Enterprise Strategist, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
17. August 2012 - June 2013, Student, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
18. June 2013 - July 2015, Politico-Military Planner, Deputy Director for Global Policy and Partnerships, J5, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
19. July 2015 - present, Commander, 49th Maintenance Group, Holloman AFB, N.M.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2010 - June 2010, Deputy Legislative Assistant to the Chairman, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2013 - July 2015, Politico-Military Planner, Deputy Director for Global Policy and Partnerships, J5, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHEIVEMENTS
1999, Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, 412th Test Wing
2001, Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, Air University
2001, Flight Commander of the Year, Squadron Officer College
2008, Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award, 51st Fighter Wing
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 20, 1995
First Lieutenant January 20, 1997
Captain January 20, 1999
Major May 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2009
Colonel June 1, 2015
(Current as of July 2015)