Col. John R. Stripling IV is the Deputy Commander at the 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 5 MQ-9 squadrons, 3 F-16 squadrons, and 5 groups. As the 49th Wing Deputy Commander, he is responsible for over 10,000 active duty members, 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. Stripling received his commission from the United States Air Force Officer Training School in 2003 and has twenty-two years of active duty service. He began his career as an Acquisitions Officer and Computer Engineer for seven years. Col. Stripling then crossed trained to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot in 2010 under the Beta program. Col. Stripling was an MQ-1 Flight Examiner, an MQ-9 Developmental Test Pilot, and an MQ-9 Flight Examiner flying hundreds of combat hours in multiple operations.
Prior to this assignment, he was an Artificial Intelligence Strategist at the Headquarters Air Force A5/7, Pentagon, Washington D.C. There he established requirements and oversaw the contracting process for the Air Force Custody Engine, a long-range kill chain-enabler, in support of Operational Imperative Three, Moving Target Engagement.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Engineering, Computer Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
2004 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Engineering, System Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Air Force Strategic Policy Fellowship, Washington D.C.
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2025 National War College, Fort McNair, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
- September 2003 – September 2006, Information Operations System Engineer and Lead Project Engineer, Air Intelligence Agency, Lackland Air Force Base, TX
- September 2006 – December 2010, Electronic Warfare Systems Engineer, B-2 Branch Chief, and F-22 Branch Chief, 53 Electronic Warfare Group, Eglin AFB, FL. (December 2006 – May 2007, Liaison Officer, Personal Security Coordination Cell, MNF-I, Baghdad, Iraq)
- December 2010 – June 2013, Flight Commander, Director of Staff, and MQ-1 Flight Examiner, 18th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, NV.
- June 2013 – July 2015, Acquisition Support Branch Chief, Detachment 3, Poway, CA.
- July 2015 – July 2016, Air Force Strategic Policy Fellowship, Washington D.C.
- October 2016 – June 2018, Director of Operations, 867th Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, NV.
- June 2018 – June 2020, Director of Staff, 432d Air Expeditionary Wing, Creech AFB, NV.
- June 2020 – June 2022, Commander, 15th Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, NV.
- June 2022 – June 2024, Artificial Intelligence Strategist, Headquarters Air Force A5/7, Pentagon, VA.
- June 2024 – June 2025, National War College Student, Fort McNair, MD.
- June 2025 – present, Deputy Commander, 49th Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior RPA Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 1,200 hours
Aircraft Flown: MQ-1 and MQ-9
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with eight oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster and two R Devices
Joint Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant September, 2003
First Lieutenant September, 2005
Captain September, 2007
Major December, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel August, 2018
Colonel July, 2024
(Current as of June 2025)