Col. Cory M. Damon is the Commander, 22d 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. Col Damon commands more than 3,500 active-duty Airmen and oversees base property and capital assets totaling more than $7.8 billion, and controlling an annual budget exceeding $114 million, supporting global contingency and conventional operations as well as U.S. Strategic Command’s operational plans. The 22 ARW is the host installation 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 as Presidential Airlift Recapitalization Requirements Manager and 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 prior to commanding the 22d Airlift Squadron operating the C-5M Super Galaxy. Following his role as a National Security Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, he was the 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 University Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Mass.
2020 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Professional Military Education Phase II, Virtual
2021 Defense Ventures Executive Seminar, Virtual
2023 United States Strategic Command Nuclear Commander’s Course, Offutt AFB, Neb
2024 Executive Leadership Program in Managing for Inclusion, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2024 Global Cyber for Senior Leaders Course, Air Force Digital University, 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, 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–August 2011, C-5M Evaluator/Exec Officer, 9th Airlift Squadron/436th Operations Group, Dover AFB, Del.
5. August 2011–June 2013, Chief, C-5 Requirements; Deputy Chief, Executive Airlift Requirements Branch; Executive Officer; Directorate of Strategic Plans, Requirements, and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
6. June 2013–June 2014, Assistant Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. June 2014–June 2015, Student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. July 2015–November 2015, C-5 Instructor/Assistant Operations Officer, 22d Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
9. December 2015–May 2016, Chief of Safety, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
10. May 2016–May 2018, Commander, 22d Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
11. June 2018–June 2019, National Security Fellow, Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, Mass.
12. June 2019–June 2021, Senior United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) Liaison Officer to United States European Command (USEUCOM) & Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE)/NATO, Stuttgart, Germany
13. June 2021–May 2023, Vice Wing Commander, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.
14. June 2023–Present, Commander, 22d Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2019–June 2021, Senior USTRANSCOM Liaison to USEUCOM & SHAPE, Stuttgart, Germany
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: more than 4,300
Aircraft Flown: T-37B, T-1A, C-5A/B/C/M, KC-135R/T, KC-46A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
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 seven campaign stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border with 1 oak leaf cluster
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 21 April 2024)