Col. Sandra A. Bonney is the commander of the 461st Air Control Wing at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, the Air Force’s only wing operationalizing Command, Control, and Communications (C3) concepts and capabilities. She is responsible for leading a ground-based tactical command and control weapon system, combat airfield operations, and the only active-duty combat communications group. She directs the training, mobilization, and deployment of combat mission ready personnel and equipment to designated theaters of operation and conducts sustained Battle Control Center operations providing uninterrupted Command, Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance in support of the joint force commander. Additionally, she is responsible for the mobilization and deployment of multi-capable personnel, computers, radios, transport systems, and deployable air traffic control and landing systems to enable wartime and peacetime operations for combatant commanders, joint task forces, Air Force components and Department of Defense agencies. These expeditionary missions include direct support taskings for United States Northern Command and the United States Secret Service, enabling both airfield operations and communications supporting humanitarian assistance/disaster relief missions.
Col. Bonney entered the Air Force in January 2000 through Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. She is a distinguished graduate of both E-3 Navigator Initial Qualification Training and E-3 Instructor Navigator Training. She performed deployed executive officer duties for the 363rd Air Expeditionary Wing, later serving as chief of protocol, and then executive officer for the 552nd Air Control Wing. She served as combat operations briefer to the Air Component Commander for U.S. Central Command, as the command and control director of operations for a major bilateral exercise and was actively involved in the Korean Theater and six named operations: Northern Edge, Noble Eagle, Eagle Assist, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. She was also the 18th Wing Plans Officer at the largest combat wing in the U.S. Air Force at Kadena AB, Okinawa. As the deputy chief of Nuclear Programs and Requirements Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, she formulated and coordinated Air Force Materiel Command's nuclear plans, policies and strategies and advised the director for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration on MAJCOM-wide nuclear enterprise responsibilities. She next served on the Commanders Action Group for the AFMC commander and subsequently as the executive officer to AFMC's executive director.
After attending the Defense Intelligence Agency's National Intelligence University at Bolling AFB, Washington D.C., she served as an assistant director of operations for the 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron before becoming chief, Standardization & Evaluations, 552nd Operations Group, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. Col. Bonney next served as commander, 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, where she led worldwide employment of 300 United States and Canadian Forces personnel, and six E-3 aircraft valued at $1.98 billion in support of combatant commander and Joint Chiefs of Staff exercise and contingency plans. She was then the commander of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 835 at the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, where she led the Aerospace Studies Department for the College of Arts and Sciences, supervising cadets from seven universities. Next, she was division chief of the Global Force Management Division, Joint Staff Regional Operations and Force Management Directorate, Pentagon, Virginia. Prior to her current assignment, she was deputy commander of the 461st Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Georgia.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science degree in Government, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
2003 Master of Science in Aerospace Administration, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, Okla.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Joint Air Operations Planning Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Fundamentals of Systems Acquisition Management, Distance Learning, Defense Acquisition University, Ohio
2012 Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Bolling AFB, Washington D.C.
2021 Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
- May 2000 - March 2001, Student, undergraduate navigator training, Randolph AFB, Texas
- April 2001 - August 2001, Navigator, E-3 Replacement Training Unit, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- September 2001 - March 2006, Operational Navigator, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- March 2006 - March 2009, Operational Navigator, 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
- March 2009 - March 2010, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Directorate, HQ AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- March - September 2010, Special Action Officer to the Commander, AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- September 2010 - July 2011, Executive Officer to the Executive Director, AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
- August 2011 - September 2012, Student, National Intelligence University, Bolling AFB, Washington D.C.
- October 2012 - March 2014, Assistant Director of Operations, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- March 2014 - May 2015, Chief, Standardization & Evaluations, 552nd Operations Group, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- May 2015 - May 2016, Director of Operations, 552nd Operational Support Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- May 2016 - May 2018, Commander, 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- July 2018 - July 2020, Commander, AFROTC Detachment 835, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
- July 2020 - May 2021, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security & Resource Strategy, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
- May 2021 - May 2022, Emergent Branch Chief of the Global Force Management Division, Joint Staff Regional Operations and Force Management Directorate, Pentagon, Va.
- May 2022 - July 2023, Division Chief of the Global Force Management Division, Joint Staff Regional Operations and Force Management Directorate (J-35), Pentagon, Va.
- July 2023 - June 2025, Deputy Commander, 461st Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
- June 2025 - Present, Commander, 461st Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
- May 2021 - May 2022, Emergent Branch Chief of the Global Force Management Division, Joint Staff Regional Operations and Force Management Directorate, Pentagon, Va., as a colonel
- May 2022 - July 2023, Division Chief of the Global Force Management Division, Joint Staff Regional Operations and Force Management Directorate (J-35), Pentagon, Va., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight Hours: More than 2,300 (including over 340 combat and combat support flight hours)
Aircraft: T-43, E-3A/B/C/G AWACS and E-8C JSTARS
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
(Current as of June 2025)