Col. Sandra A Bonney is the commander of the 461st Air Control Wing at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, Air Combat Command’s only Command, Control and Communications wing. She leads a ground-based tactical command and control weapon system, the Air Force’s only active-duty combat communications group and the Air Force’s only active-duty combat airfield operations squadron. She directs training and deployment of combat ready personnel and equipment to designated theaters in support of combatant commanders and joint task forces.
Col. Bonney entered the Air Force in January 2000 through Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. She is a distinguished graduate of E-3 Navigator Initial Qualification Training and E-3 Instructor Navigator Training. She has served 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. At the 18th Wing, she served as plans officer for the largest U.S. Air Force combat wing at Kadena AB, Okinawa. As the deputy chief of Nuclear Programs and Requirements Division, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, she formulated Air Force Materiel Command's nuclear plans and policies and advised the director for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration on MAJCOM-wide nuclear enterprise responsibilities.
After attending the Defense Intelligence Agency's National Intelligence University at Bolling AFB, Washington D.C., she served as assistant director of operations, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron, and then as chief of standardization & evaluations, 552nd Operations Group, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. She commanded the 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron, leading worldwide employment of 300 U.S. and Canadian Forces personnel and six E-3 aircraft valued at $1.98 billion. She then commanded Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 835 at the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, supervising cadets from seven universities. As division chief of the Global Force Management Division, Joint Staff Regional Operations and Force Management Directorate, Pentagon, Virginia, Col. Bonney oversaw rotational and emergent requirements for 15 services and combatant commands for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to fulfill Secretary of War taskings. Prior to her current assignment, she was deputy commander of the 461st Air Control Wing.
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
1. May 2000 - March 2001, Student, undergraduate navigator training, Randolph AFB, Texas
2. April 2001 - August 2001, Navigator, E-3 Replacement Training Unit, Tinker AFB, Okla.
3. September 2001 - March 2006, Operational Navigator, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
4. March 2006 - March 2009, Operational Navigator, 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
5. March 2009 - March 2010, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Directorate, HQ AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. March - September 2010, Special Action Officer to the Commander, AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
7. September 2010 - July 2011, Executive Officer to the Executive Director, AFMC, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
8. August 2011 - September 2012, Student, National Intelligence University, Bolling AFB, Washington D.C.
9. October 2012 - March 2014, Assistant Director of Operations, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
10. March 2014 - May 2015, Chief, Standardization & Evaluations, 552nd Operations Group, Tinker AFB, Okla.
11. May 2015 - May 2016, Director of Operations, 552nd Operational Support Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
12. May 2016 - May 2018, Commander, 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
13. July 2018 - July 2020, Commander, AFROTC Detachment 835, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
14. July 2020 - May 2021, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security & Resource Strategy, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
15. May 2021 - May 2022, Emergent Branch Chief of the Global Force Management Division, Joint Staff Regional Operations and Force Management Directorate, Pentagon, Va.
16. May 2022 - July 2023, Division Chief of the Global Force Management Division, Joint Staff Regional Operations and Force Management Directorate (J-35), Pentagon, Va.
17. July 2023 - June 2025, Deputy Commander, 461st Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
18. June 2025 - Present, Commander, 461st Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. 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
2. 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
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 Distinguished Graduate, E-3 Navigator Initial Qualification Training
2003 Distinguished Graduate, E-3 Instructor Navigator Training
2015 ACC Best Simulator Training Program
2016 12 AF Safety Award of Distinction
(Current as of June 2026)