Col. Kevin J. Fletcher is the deputy 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. He is responsible for leading a ground-based tactical command and control weapon system, combat airfield operations, and the only active-duty combat communications group. He 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, he 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. Fletcher entered the Air Force in July 2003 through Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. He completed undergraduate Air Battle Manager training in November 2004, and since then has held various positions as an Air Battle Manager executing tactical command and control from both the E-3 AWACS and the Control and Reporting Center. He has deployed multiple times in support of operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Arabian Gulf. While assigned to the 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, he ran the wing’s Distributed Mission Operations Training program. Additionally, Col. Fletcher was the first United States Air Force officer to attend the Royal Armed Forces of Brunei Command and Staff College in 2015. He also served as the military assistant to the deputy director for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. While at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, Col. Fletcher was the commander of the 726th Air Control Squadron. Prior to his current position, he was the director of aerospace studies at the United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
2004 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Master of Arts, Business Administration Oklahoma City University, Oklahoma City, Okla.
2010 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, non-resident program, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2015 Royal Armed Forces of Brunei Command and Staff College, Brunei
2018 Master of Arts, International Security, Massey University, New Zealand
2023 Master of Arts, Strategic Studies, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
ASSIGNMENTS
- October 2003 – November 2004, Student Air Battle Manager Training, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
- November 2004 – April 2007, Air Weapons Officer 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- April 2007 – March 2009, Chief Distributed Mission Operations Training, 552nd Operations Support Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- March 2009 – November 2011, Assistant Director of Operations, 603rd Air Control Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy
- November 2011 – June 2012, Air Control Squadron Stan/Eval Examiner, 31st Operations Group, Aviano AB, Italy
- June 2012 – October 2013, E-3 Senior Director, 963rd Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- October 2013 – December 2014, Wing Executive Officer, 552nd Air Control Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
- December 2014 – November 2015, IDE Student, Royal Armed Forces of Brunei Command and Staff College, Brunei
- November 2015 – February 2018, Military Assistant to the Deputy Director, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
- February 2018 – June 2020, Director of Operations, 726th Air Control Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
- June 2020 – June 2022, Commander, 726thAir Control Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
- July 2022 – June 2023, SDE Student, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
- June 2023 – June 2025, Director of Aerospace Studies, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
- June 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander, 461st Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
- June 2023 – June 2025, Director of Aerospace Studies, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Air Battle Manager
Flight Hours: 1240
Aircraft: E-3B, E-3C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal
(Current as of June 2025)