Colonel Joshua J. Zaker is currently the Commander, 22nd Operations Group McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas. As commander, he is directly responsible for the employment of 24 KC-135 Stratotanker and assigned KC-46 Pegasus aircraft through four local squadrons and one Total Force Integrated geographically-separated squadron at Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire. The mission of the 22nd Operations Group includes in-flight refueling, global reach airlift, strategic support of conventional and non-conventional operations, as well as execution of U.S. Strategic Command Operations requirements for the Air Force, Department of Defense and allied nations worldwide.
Colonel Zaker is a Joint Qualified Officer who has served in staff capacities at the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Combatant Command levels. He received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1999; after Undergraduate Pilot Training, he qualified on the KC-135R. He is a Command Pilot with over 3,000 flying hours and a combat veteran with more than 200 combat sorties in the KC-135 and C-17 supporting Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2008 Air Command and Staff College, in correspondence, Maxwell AFB, AL
2013 Masters in Security Studies, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
2013 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, VA
2014 Air War College, in correspondence, Maxwell AFB, AL
2019 National War College, Ft McNair, Washington, DC
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1999 - October 2000, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK
2. April 2001 - June 2006, KC-135 Instructor Pilot, Group Executive Officer, Flight Commander, McConnell AFB, KS
3. July 2006 - August 2009, PHOENIX MOBILITY Officer, Wing Strategic Planning Cell Chief, Assistant Director of Operations, Tanker Planner, 615 Contingency Response Wing, Travis AFB, CA
4. August 2009 - Dec 2011, C-17 Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Command post, McChord Field WA
5. Dec 2011 - March 2013, IDE Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey CA
6. June 2013 - Feb 2016, Executive Officer to the J5 and Political Affairs Strategist, NORAD-USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB CO
7. June 2016 - Jul 2018, Commander, 64th Air Refueling Squadron (Active Associate), Pease Air National Guard Base, NH
8. Jul 2018 - June 2019, SDE Student, National War College, Ft Lesley J. McNair, Washington DC
9. June 2019 – May 2021, Joint Staff Officer, J5 DD Middle East and Chief, J36 National Military Command System Operations Division.
10. June 2021- Present, Commander, 22nd Operations Group, McConnell Air Force Base, KS
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal w/1 OLC
Meritorious Service Medal w/3OLC
Air Medal w/9 OLC
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal w/OLC
Defense Superior Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Colonel 1 July 2020
(Current as of 29 June 2021)