Colonel Craig M. Harmon is the Vice Commander, 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The 515 AMOW provides forward-deployed command and control, aerial port, and aircraft maintenance support to DoD organic and contracted commercial aircraft executing airlift and air refueling missions throughout the Pacific theater. The wing is comprised of approximately 2,000 U.S. military, civilian, and local national personnel operating from 15 locations and includes two groups, six squadrons, three detachments, and six operating locations spanning from Alaska to Diego Garcia to New Zealand.
Colonel Harmon received his commission through the United States Air Force Academy in 1994. He served in Air Mobility Command as a C-5A/B/M Evaluator Pilot. He also served in Pacific Air Command as a C-21A Evaluator Pilot and Air Education and Training Command as a T-44A Evaluator Pilot. He commanded at the squadron level three times to include 4th Cadet Squadron, US Air Force Academy, 405th Expeditionary Operation Support Squadron, AF Central Command, and the 9th Airlift Squadron, Air Mobility Command. Prior to this assignment, Colonel Harmon was the AF Reserve Command Inspector General of Inspections.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science, Biology, United Sates Air Force Academy, Colorado
2001 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2004 Masters in Management, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida
2006 USAF Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
2006 Intermediate Developmental Education, USAFA AOC Masters Program, USAF Academy, Colorado
2006 Masters in Counseling and Leadership, University of Colorado, Colorado
2011 USAF War College by correspondence
2014 Senior Developmental Education, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Norfolk, Virginia
2014 Masters in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy, National Defense University, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1994 – January 1996, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 8th & 25th Flying Training Squadron, Enid, OK
2. February 1996 – February 1999, C-21 Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Training, 459th Airlift Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan
3. March 1999 – February 2002, C-5 Instructor Pilot, Chief of Training, 21st Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, CA
4. March 2002 – April 2005, T-44 Evaluator Pilot, Director of Operations, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, VT– 31st Flying Training Squadron, Corpus Christie Naval Air Station, TX
5. May 2005 – May 2006, Student, Air Officer Commanding Masters Program, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, CO
6. June 2006 – May 2008, Air Officer Commanding, Cadet Squadron FOUR, United States Air Force Academy, CO
7. June 2008 - March 2009, C-5 Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Wing Plans and Programs, 436th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, DE
8. April 2009 – October 2009, C-5 Evaluator Pilot, Operations Officer, 436th Operations Support Squadron, Dover AFB, DE
9. November 2009 – April 2011, C-5M Evaluator Pilot, Operations Officer, 9th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, DE with deployed duty from May 2010 – December 2010, Commander, 405th EOSS, Thumrait AB, Oman
10. May 2011 – March 2013, C-5M Evaluator Pilot and Commander, 9th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, DE
11. March 2013 – June 2013, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, 436 Airlift Wing, Dover AFB, DE
12. July 2013 – June 2014, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, National Defense University, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
13. July 2014 – June 2015, Policy Operations Branch Chief, UCJ5 Policy, United States Forces Korea, Yongsan Garrison, Seoul, South Korea
14. July 2015 – May 2016, Chief Inspections Division, Inspector General, United States Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, GA
15. June 2016 – Present, Vice Commander, 515 Air Mobility Operations Wing (AMC), Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,800
Aircraft flown: C-5A, B, C & M, C-21, T-37, T-38 and T-44
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Navy Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Navy Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 6 oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant - June 1, 1994
First Lieutenant - June 1, 1996
Captain - June 1, 1998
Major - October 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel - September 1, 2009
Colonel - December 1, 2015
(Current as of May 2016)