Colonel Joseph D. Wall 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. Col Wall 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 Wing for McConnell supporting tenant units such as the Kansas Air National Guard’s 184th Wing and the Air Force Reserve Command’s 931st Air Refueling Wing.
Colonel Wall was commissioned in 2001 as an ROTC distinguished graduate at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida and was an Olmsted Scholar in Germany. He is a graduated Air Mobility Command Phoenix Mobility program intern trained in Contingency Response operations. He has deployed numerous times as an aircrew member and contingency responder, in support of operations in Southwest Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa. Colonel Wall carries a second Air Force Specialty Code as Foreign Affairs Officer. Prior to arriving at McConnell Air Force Base, he was the deputy commander at the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, U.K.
Colonel Wall is a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours in the T-37B, T-1A, KC-10A, KC-135R/T, and KC-46A aircraft and over 100 combat and combat support missions supporting multiple operations over Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and the Horn of Africa. He is married to Trysta Malm of Wayne, Ill., and they have three children Tavin, Tenley, and Trace.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelors of Science, Computer Science and Political Science, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Master of Aeronautical Science with distinction in Aerospace Studies, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2013 NATO Staff Officer Orientation Course, Oberammergau, Germany
2014 Master of Arts in Political Science, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany
2014 Intermediate Developmental Education, Olmsted Scholarship Program, Freiburg, Germany
2021 Master of Science, National Security and Resource Strategy, The Eisenhower School, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
2025 Senior Leader Nuclear Management, School of Nuclear Studies, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2001 – October 2002, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2. November 2002 – October 2007, 60th Operations Group Executive Officer, KC-10A Instructor Aircraft Commander, and Flight Commander, 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
3. October 2007 – June 2008, KC-10A Formal Training Unit Instructor Pilot, 60th Operational Support Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
4. June 2008 – August 2011, Phoenix Mobility Intern, Flight Commander, Instructor Contingency Tanker Planner, and Assistant Director of Operations, 21st Air Mobility Operations Squadron and 818th Global Mobility Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
5. September 2011 – August 2014, Olmsted Scholar, Graduate School of Political Science, Albert Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany
6. September 2014 – May 2015, KC-10A Instructor Pilot and Assistant Director of Operations, 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
7. June 2015 – May 2016, Director of Operations, 6th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. June 2016 – December 2016, Director of Operations, 821st Contingency Response Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
9. January 2017 – May 2018, Commander, 79th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
10. June 2018 – July 2020, Deputy Chief, Air Force Senate Legislative Liaison Office, Washington D.C.
11. August 2020 – June 2021, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
12. July 2021 – June 2023, Current Operations Element Branch Chief and Chief of Operations, National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center, the Joint Staff, Directorate for Operations (J-3) Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. June 2023 – July 2025, Deputy Commander, 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, U.K.
14. July 2025 – Present, Commander, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2021 – June 2023: Current Operations Element Branch Chief and Chief of Operations, National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center, the Joint Staff, Directorate for Operations (J-3), Pentagon, Arlington, Va, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000, including over 800 combat and combat support hours
Aircraft Flown: T-37B, T-1A, KC-10A, KC-135R/T, and KC-46A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with Service Star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Medal with Gold Border and two oak leaf clusters
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 14, 2001
First Lieutenant January 14, 2003
Captain January 14, 2005
Major November 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2016
Colonel June 1, 2022
(Current as of 28 July 2025)