Col. David J. Rice is the vice commander of the 461st Air Control Wing at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. He is responsible for the worldwide employment of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System and the Deployable Air Traffic Control and Landing System. The wing trains, mobilizes, and deploys combat mission ready aircraft, aircrews and support personnel to designated theaters of operation and conducts sustained operations providing uninterrupted Command, Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance in support of the joint force commander. Additionally, he is responsible for the mobilization and deployment of Command and Control systems enabling both expeditionary airfield operations supporting combatant commanders and peacetime airfield operations supporting humanitarian assistance/disaster relief missions.
Col. Rice received his commission through Air Force Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, in January 1999. He has been assigned to multiple operational platforms, including the E-8C and RC-135 aircraft, and has served in an operational test and evaluation capacity. In addition, he has taught as an Air Education Training Command instructor navigator. His staff assignments include the Air Expeditionary Force Division, Air Force Personnel Center and the Command and Control and Integrated Air and Missile Defense Division, Headquarters United States Air Force. Prior to his current assignment, he was the Chief, Command and Control, Integrated Air and Missile Defense Division, Operations Directorate at the Pentagon.
EDUCATION
1998 B.S. in Political Science, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Masters of Public Administration, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, Ga.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Intermediate Developmental Education, Naval Command and Staff College, Newport, R.I.
2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Senior Developmental Education, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. April 1999 – October 1999, Chief of Plans and Programs, Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2. October 1999 – August 2000, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
3. August 2000 – April 2001, Student Navigator, E-8C Initial Qualification, 93rd Training Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
4. April 2001 – April 2002, Functional Scheduler, 12th Airborne Combat Control Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
5. April 2002 – March 2004, Assistant Chief of Training and Executive Officer, 330th Combat Training Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
6. March 2004 – February 2006, AETC Instructor and later Flight Commander, 562nd Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
7. February 2006 – February 2007, Wing Executive Officer, 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph AFB, Texas
8. February 2007 – June 2008, Chief, Air Expeditionary Force Enterprise Architecture, Air Force Personnel Center, Randolph AFB, Texas
9. June 2008 – July 2010, Director of Test, 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Det. 2, Melbourne, Fla.
10. July 20010 – June 2011, Student, Naval Command and Staff College, Newport, R.I.
11. June 2011 – December 2011, Student Navigator, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
12. December 2011 – March 2013, Assistant Director of Operations, 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
13. March 2013 – March 2014, Director of Operations, 38th Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
14. March 2014 – May 2015, Director of Staff, 55th Wing, Offutt AFB, Neb.
15. May 2015 – May 2017, Commander, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
16. May 2017 – June 2017, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 55th Operations Group, Offutt AFB, Neb.
17. June 2017 – June 2018, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
18. June 2018 – April 2020, Chief, C2 Branch, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
19. April 2020 – June 2021, Chief, C2 and IAMD Division, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
20. July 2021 – Present, Vice Commander, 461st Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: 1,959
Aircraft flown: T-43, E-8C, RC/TC-135S/U/V/W
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
(Current as of August 2021)