Col. Ryan Wilson is Deputy Wing Commander at 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas- one of the Air Force’s three core tanker bases. He assists the commander in leading almost 3,000 active-duty Airmen to provide all-weather, in-flight aerial refueling for U.S. and allied military aircraft, and global reach airlift for the rapid and precise projection of troops, equipment and supplies worldwide, supporting global contingency, conventional operations and U.S. Strategic Command’s operational plans.
Colonel Wilson entered the Air Force in 2006 as a graduate from the University of Arkansas and earned his pilot wings at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, in 2008. He has held operational C-130J and KC-135R/T assignments at Ramstein AB, Germany, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, and Fairchild AFB, Washington, as an aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and evaluator pilot. His career highlights include flying humanitarian aid/disaster relief missions during Operation ODYSSEY DAWN during the refugee evacuation out of Libya, aeromedical evacuating Libyan Freedom Fighters, and a multitude of operations in over 20 countries throughout the world. Colonel Wilson led at the squadron level, where he commanded the largest KC-135R/T unit in the Air Force while stationed at Kadena Air Base. Prior to his current position, Wilson served as the Deputy Commandant at Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
Colonel Wilson is a command pilot with more than 2,000 flying hours, including 400 combat hours.
EDUCATION
2006 Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Ark.
2006 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2013 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Master of Aviation Science, Aviation, Embry Riddle University, Fla.
2014 Advanced Air Mobility Operations Course, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakenhurst, N.J.
2017 Air Force Command Post Manager Course, Scott AFB, Ill.
2017 Joint Nuclear Command and Control Course, Offutt AFB, Neb.
2018 Gray Scholar, U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Marine Corps University, Quantico, Va.
2019 NATO Nuclear Policy Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germ.
2019 Joint Professional Military Education II (JPME II), Joint Forces College, Norfolk, Va.
2019 Air War College, by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2025 Blue Horizon CSAF Fellow, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2006 – July 2007: Squadron Executive Officer, 314th Operations Support Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
2. July 2007 – March 2008: Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. March 2008 – January 2009: Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Tex.
4. January 2009 – August 2009: Student, C-130J Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
5. August 2009 – August 2012: C-130J Instructor Pilot, Scheduling Officer, Standardization and Evaluation Liaison Officer, Central Scheduler, Assistant Flight Commander, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
6. August 2012 – August 2015: C-130J Evaluator Pilot, Squadron Chief of Training and Wing Executive Officer, 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
7. August 2015 – July 2017: KC-135R/T Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander and Chief, Wing Command Post, 92d Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild AFB, Was.
8. July 2017 – July 2018: Student, United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Marine Corps University, Quantico, Va.
9. July 2018 – July 2020: Chief, NATO Plans and Integration, HQ USSTRATCOM J53, Offutt AFB, Neb.
10. August 2020 – May 2021: Director of Operations, 909th Air Refueling Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
11. May 2021 – May 2023: Commander, 909th Air Refueling Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
12. June 2023 – June 2024: Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio- Randolf, Tex
13. July 2024 – May 2025: Student, Blue Horizons CSAF Fellow at Air War College Center for Strategy and Technology, Maxwell AFB, Ala
14. June 2025 – June 2026: Deputy Commandant, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, Ala
15. June 2026- Present: Deputy Wing Commander, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1.July 2018 – July 2020, Chief, NATO Plans and Interrogation, HQ USSTRATCOM J53, Offutt Air Force Base, Neb, as a Lieutenant Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 2000
Aircraft flown: T-6A, T-44C, C-130J, KC-135R/T, F-15D, KC-46A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air & Space Force Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 2006
First Lieutenant May 31, 2008
Captain May 31, 2010
Major August 1, 2016
Lt Col October 1, 2019
Col April 1, 2025
(Current as of June 2026)