Col Alfred J. Rosales is the Deputy Commander, 49th Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The 49th Wing supports national security objectives by training MQ-9 and F-16 aircrew, and consists of 3 MQ-9 squadrons, 3 F-16 squadrons, 5 groups, and over 10,000 active duty, reservists, civilians, and dependents. The wing deploys combat ready Airmen worldwide and is home to the USAF’s Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources and Air Transportable Clinics as well as the 704th Test Group.
Col Rosales was commissioned in 2001 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. He was a 4-ship Flight Lead in the F-16CJ Fighting Falcon, a flight examiner in the T-6A Texan II and MQ-9A Reaper, completing multiple combat deployments in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM. He is a command pilot with more than 2,600 flight hours, over 200 combat hours, and 700 combat support hours.
Prior to this assignment, he was the Strategy Division Chief, 612th Air Operations Center, Air Forces Southern Command located in Tucson, Arizona.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Arts in Economics, University of California, San Diego
2002 Aerospace Basic Course, Outstanding Contributor, Maxwell Air Force Bace (AFB), Ala.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2013 Master of Military Operational Art and Science - Joint Warfare, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Maintenance Course for Operational Commanders, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2015 Continuous Process Improvement/AFSO 21 Senior Leadership Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2016 Chief of Safety and Safety Investigation Board President Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2017 Air Combat Command Squadron Commander's Course, Langley AFB, Va.
2020 NATO Defense College Senior Course 135, Honors Graduate, Rome, Italy
2021 Master of Art and Science - International Public Affairs, LUISS, Rome, Italy
2021 Joint and Combined Warfighting School Class 21-4 (JPME II), Norfolk, Va.
2023 Wing Command Team Course, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2001 – September 2002, Assistant Training Officer, 416th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
2. October 2002 – October 2003, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. November 2003 – February 2004, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Sheppard AFB, Texas
4. March 2004 – January 2005, Student, F-16 Flying Training Unit, Luke AFB, Ariz.
5. February 2005 – May 2008, F-16 4-ship Flight Lead; Assistant Chief of Scheduling; and Activity Security Manager, 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa Air Base (AB), Japan (May 2007 – October 2007, F-16 Flt Lead, 13th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Balad AB, Iraq)
6. June 2008 – June 2011, MQ-9A Instructor Pilot and Flight Examiner; Flight Commander; and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation program, 42d Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev. (January 2010 – May 2010 and January 2011 – May 2011, MQ-9A Launch & Recovery Flight Examiner, 62d Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan)
7. July 2011 – Nov 2012, MQ-9A Instructor Pilot and Flight Examiner; Standardization and Evaluation Program Deputy Chief,432d Operations Group, Creech AFB, Nev.
8. November 2012 – May 2013, Student, T-6A Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Instructor Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
9. May 2013 – July 2014, T-6A Instructor Pilot; Assistant Director of Operations, 89th Flying Training Squadron and 80th Operations Support Squadron, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
10. July 2014 – June 2015, T-6A Flight Examiner; Director of Operations, 459th Flying Training Squadron, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
11. June 2015 – June 2016, T-6A Flight Examiner; Director of Staff, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
12. June 2016 – June 2017, MQ-9A Instructor Pilot; Chief of Safety, 49th Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
13. June 2017 – June 2019, Commander, 6th Attack Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
14. June 2019 – August 2019, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 49th Operations Group, Holloman AFB, N.M.
15. August 2019 – August 2020, student, NATO Defense College and LUISS, Rome, Italy
16. August 2020 – July 2022, Section Head Innovation Hub Laboratory, NATO Headquarters Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk, Va.
17. August 2022 – June 2023, Chief, Strategy Division for the 612th Air Operations Center, Headquarters 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.
18. June 2023 – present, Vice Commander, 49th Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2020 – August 2022, Section Head Innovation Hub Laboratory, NATO Headquarters Allied
Command Transformation, NATO, Norfolk, Va., as a lieutenant colonel.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,600
Aircraft flown: T-6A, T-37B, T-38A/B, F-16C/D/CG/CJ, and MQ-9A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze star
NATO Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Flight Lead of the Year, 35th Operations Group, Misawa AB, Japan
2009 Flight Commander of the Year, 42d Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
2010 Instructor Pilot of the Year, 42d Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
2015 Field Grade Officer of the Year, 80th Wing Staff Agency, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2021 Director’s Distinguished Writing Award, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Class 21-04, Norfolk, Va
PUBLICATIONS
“What do we do NOW?” Combat Edge Summer Edition, Air Combat Command’s Full Spectrum Safety Magazine, 2017.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 8, 2001
First Lieutenant July 8, 2003
Captain July 8, 2005
Major September 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel September 1, 2016
Colonel September 1, 2022
(Current as of July 2023)