Holloman welcomes new vice wing commander

  • Published
  • By Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Colonel Kenneth P. Ekman is the Vice Commander of the 49th Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. The wing supports national security objectives by deploying worldwide to support peacetime and wartime contingencies. The wing also provides combat ready Airmen, F-22 Raptors and trains MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operators. Additionally, the wing delivers Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources and Air Transportable Clinics while providing support to more than 17,000 military and civilian personnel to include German Air Force Flying Training Center operations.

Colonel Ekman is a 1991 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and earned his wings at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He graduated from Weapons School in 2000 and the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies in 2005. His assignments include Air Force Test Pilot School sailplane instructor, squadron and wing weapons officer, air component strategist, fighter squadron commander, and analyst in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Colonel Ekman is a command pilot with 2,500 flying hours in the F-16 and F-22.

EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Science, Aeronautical Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
1994 Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering, California State University, Fresno.
1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Air War College, by correspondence
2012 Joint & Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. Aug 1991 - Sep 1992, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, TX
2. Oct 1992 - Dec 1994, Curriculum Development Engineer and Sailplane Instructor, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, CA
3. Jan 1995 - Feb 1996, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, Luke AFB, AZ
4. Mar 1996 - Jun 1998, Electronic Combat Pilot, Chief of Scheduling, and Instructor Pilot, 522nd Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
5. Jul 1998 - Jun 2000, Chief of Scheduling, Flight Commander, Assistant Operations Officer, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, Korea
6. Jul 2000 - Dec 2000, Student, F-16 Weapons Instructor Course, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, NV
7. Jan 2001 - Jun 2003, Chief, 14th Fighter Squadron Weapons; Chief, 35th OSS Weapons and Tactics, Misawa AB, Japan
8. Jul 2003 - Jun 2004, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
9. Jul 2004 - Jun 2005, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
10. Jul 2005 - Jul 2006, Chief of Campaign Strategy, 609th Combat Plans Squadron, 9th Air Force/U.S. Central Air Forces, Shaw AFB, SC
11. Aug 2006 - Aug 2007, F-16 instructor pilot, Director of Operations, 55th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, SC
12. Sep 2007 - May 2008, Chief of Safety, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad AB, Iraq
13. Jul 2008 - Feb 2010, Commander, 79th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, SC
14. Feb 2010 - Jun 2010, Deputy Commander, 20th Mission Support Group, Shaw AFB, SC
15. Jul 2010 - May 2012, TACAIR Analyst, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense
16. June 2012 - Present, Vice Commander, 49th Wing, Holloman AFB, NM

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 2,800
Primary aircraft flown: F-16 and F-22

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Sevice Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1991
First Lieutenant May 1993
Captain May 1995
Major Feb 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Mar 2006
Colonel Aug 2011