Col. Cory M. Damon is the Commander, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, one of the Air Force’s three core tanker wings. The Wing’s KC-46 and KC-135 aircraft fleet provides in-flight, all-weather, aerial refueling for U.S. and allied military aircraft and airlift for global reach projection of troops, equipment and supplies worldwide. Colonel Damon commands more than 3,500 active duty Airmen supporting global contingency and conventional operations as well as U.S. Strategic Command’s operational plans. The 22nd ARW is the host Wing for the Kansas Air National Guard’s 184th Wing and the Air Force Reserve Command’s 931st Air Refueling Wing.
Col. Damon received his commission in May 2001 after graduating from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Following Undergraduate Pilot Training, he began his operational flying career in the C-5A/B/C Galaxy. He was selected as Initial Cadre for the C-5M “Super Galaxy” modernization program as an Evaluator Pilot during Operational Test & Evaluation. At Scott AFB, Col. Damon served on Headquarters Air Mobility Command Staff as C-5 and Presidential Airlift Recapitalization Requirements Manager and ended his assignment as Assistant Executive Officer to the Commander of Air Mobility Command. Col. Damon was the Chief of Safety, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, California, before commanding the 22nd Airlift Squadron operating the C-5M Super Galaxy. Col. Damon then served as United States Transportation Command’s Senior Liaison Officer to United States European Command and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. Prior to assuming his current position, he was the Vice Commander, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
2001 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2007 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Master of Business Administration, Trident University International, Calif.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2015 Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2019 National Security Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
2021 Defense Ventures Executive Seminar, virtual
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2001–February 2002, Current Operations, 55th Operational Support Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
2. February 2002–July 2003, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. July 2003–September 2008, C-5 Instructor, Executive Officer, Training Flight Commander, 22d Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif. (July 2006-December 2006, Joint
Operations Air Planner, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti)
4. September 2008–September 2010, C-5M Evaluator/Executive Officer, 436th Operations Group, Dover AFB, Del.
5. September 2010–August 2011, Chief C-5 Standardization/Evaluation, 436th Operations Group, Dover AFB, Del.
6. August 2011–February 2012, Chief, C-5 Requirements, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. February 2012–October 2012, Deputy Chief, Operational Support Airlift/Executive Airlift Requirements Branch, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. October 2012–June 2013, Executive Officer, Directorate of Strategic Plans, Requirements, and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
9. June 2013–June 2014, Assistant Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
10. June 2014–June 2015, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
11. July 2015–November 2015, C-5 Instructor/Assistant Operations Officer, 22d Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
12. December 2015–May 2016, Chief of Safety, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
13. May 2016–May 2018, Commander, 22d Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
14. June 2018–June 2019, National Security Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Mass.
15. June 2019–June 2021, Senior United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) Liaison Officer to United States European Command (USEUCOM) & Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), Stuttgart, Germany
16. June 2021–June 2023, Vice Wing Commander, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.
17. June 2023 – Present, Commander, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, KS
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2019–June 2021, Senior USTRANSCOM Liaison to USEUCOM & SHAPE, Stuttgart, Germany, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: more than 4,200
Aircraft Flown: T-37B, T-1A, C-5A/B/C/M, KC-135, & KC-46A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with six campaign stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 5, 2001
First Lieutenant May 30, 2003
Captain May 30, 2005
Major, June 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel January 1, 2016
Colonel March 1, 2020
(Current as of 9 Jun 2023)