Col. Edward E. Black serves as the Commander of the 139th Airlift Wing, Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Mo. Colonel Black is a Missouri native, graduated from DeKalb High School in 1988 and Central Missouri State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aviation Technology. The Colonel also earned a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy from National Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 2012.
Colonel Black began his service in 1989 with the Air National Guard. He attended Air Force Basic Training and Security Police Academy at Lackland AFB and returned to an assignment with the 139th Security Police Squadron as a traditional guardsman. Colonel Black was selected in 1992 to attend Undergraduate Pilot Training. He received his commission from the Air National Guard Academy of Military Science, Knoxville, Tennessee in 1992, followed by Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma and initial C-130E training at Little Rock AFB, AR. Upon completion, Colonel Black returned to the 180th Airlift Squadron where he performed pilot duties aboard the Lockheed C-130 as a traditional guardsman.
Colonel Black began a full time Air National Guard career when hired as an air technician in 2000 into the Chief of Wing Plans position, 139th Airlift Wing. Over the years, he rose to the rating of evaluator pilot and through the positions of Chief of Tactics and Chief of Current Operations. He has deployed on numerous worldwide missions in times of peace and war. In 2003, Colonel Black deployed as the Deputy Operations Support Squadron Commander for C-130 operations, 485AEW, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. In the fall of 2005, Colonel Black was assigned as the Chief of the ANG Crisis Action Team, Airlift Cell in Washington D.C. He oversaw the successful execution of 3,431 sorties in a 4-month period in support of the relief operations following the devastation of hurricane Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
In 2009, Col Black began a tour at the National Guard Bureau, Washington DC. He held program manager positions for the RC-26, C-27J and C-130 programs within the ANG portfolio. Together these programs are valued at over $8 billion in obligation authority over the future years defense plan (FYDP). The combined programs employed approximately 14K ANG personnel and fielded 183 aircraft to ANG wings. In May 2010, Col Black was hand selected to the position of Strategic Analyst on the Chief's Action Group for the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Craig R. McKinley. Soon after, he was elevated to the position of Executive Assistant to the Chief, responsible for the daily operations of the Office of the Chief.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science, Aviation Technology, Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Mo.
2000 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2006 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2011 Air War College, by correspondence
2012 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Nov 1994 - Feb 2000, C-130 Pilot, 180th Airlift Squadron, St. Joseph, Mo.
2. Feb 2000 - Aug 2005, Wing Plans Officer, 139th Airlift Wing, St. Joseph, Mo.
3. Aug 2005 - Jul 2006, Chief of Tactics, 139th Operations Group, St. Joseph, Mo.
4. Jul 2006 - Jun 2009, Chief of Current Operations, 139th Operations Group, St. Joseph, Mo.
5. Jun 2009 - May 2010, Assistant Global Mobility Panel Chair, Program Element Manager for C-130, C-27J and RC-26, National Guard Bureau, Washington, DC.
6. May 2010 - Aug 2011, Executive Assistant to the Chief, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Pentagon.
7. Aug 2011 - June 2012, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington, DC.
8. July 2012 - 2014 - Commander, Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, 139th Airlift Wing, St. Joseph, Mo.
9. May 2014 - Feb 2015 - Commander, 139th Operations Group, St. Joseph, Mo.
10. Feb 2015 - July 2017 - Vice Commander of the 139th Airlift Wing, St. Joseph, Mo.
11. July 2017 - present - Commander of the 139th Airlift Wing, St. Joseph, Mo.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft Flown: C-130H, C-130E, T-38, T-37 and B737 (Civilian)
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
1. Defense Meritorious Service Medal
2. Meritorious Service Medal
3. Air Medal with two devices
4. Air Force Commendation Medal with one device
5. Air Force Achievement Medal
6. AF Outstanding Unit Award with one device
7. Combat Readiness Medal with four devices
8. Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with one device
9. National Defense Service Medal with one device
10. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
11. Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one device
12. Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
13. Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
14. Armed Forces Service Medal
15. Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
16. AF Longevity Service with three devices
17. Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two 'M' Devices
18. Basic Military Training Honor Graduate
19. Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with one device
20. AF Training Ribbon with one device
21. Missouri Commendation Ribbon with one device
22. Missouri NG Expeditionary Ribbon with one device
23. Missouri NG Recruiting & Retention Ribbon
24. Missouri NG Long Service 15 Year Ribbon
25. Missouri Basic Training Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant - November 19, 1992
First Lieutenant - December 7, 1994
Captain - February 1, 1997
Major - September 17, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel - August 17, 2006
Colonel - July 9, 2012
(Current as of July 2017)