Colonel Rob Krueger is the Operations Group Commander at Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass. Colonel Krueger began his career upon graduation from the Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and was commissioned in 2001. He graduated from Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot training at Vance Air Force Base Oklahoma. In 2003, he completed KC-10 combat crew training school at McGuire Air Force Base New Jersey and started flying with the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron. He flew missions supporting Operations NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, and IRAQI FREEDOM.
After upgrade to aircraft commander, he deployed in 2006 as the Deputy Director of Personnel Recovery at the Army’s Joint Operations Center for Multi-National Corps – Iraq. In 2007, he was assigned to the 76th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base Germany to provide executive airlift and aeromedical evacuation in the C-21. In 2010, he was assigned to the 32nd Air Refueling Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst New Jersey. After requalification in the KC-10, he deployed again to support Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, INHERENT RESOLVE, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and SPARTAN SHIELD and now has over 1,000 combat hours. He upgraded his qualification and certification to instructor, Formal Training Unit instructor, and evaluator pilot.
His duties have included flight commander and chief of readiness over tactics, training, and mobility; current operations; and standardization/evaluation. He also served as the squadron assistant director of operations and director of operations of the base command post. After transitioning to the Air Force Reserve in 2014 and joining the 76th Air Refueling Squadron, he served as an Air Reserve Technician before this Active Guard Reserve assignment to Reserve Headquarters as Mobility Air Forces Resource Manager and then the Command KC-10 Evaluator Pilot / Functional Area Manager.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2002 Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2012 Master of Science in Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Worldwide Campus
2015 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence 2020 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1997 – May 2001, Student, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2. July – September 2001, Student, Introductory Flying Training, Peterson Air Force Base (AFB), Colo.
3. September 2001 – October 2002, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
4. January 2003 – June 2003, Student, KC-10 Pilot Initial Qualification, McGuire AFB, N.J.
5. July 2003 – July 2007, KC-10 Aircraft Commander, 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J. (November 2004 – January 2005, KC-10 Pilot, 908 Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates), (May – September 2006, Deputy Director, Multi-National Corps – Iraq Personnel Recovery Coordination Cell, Iraq)
6. July 2007 – February 2009, C-21 Instructor and Chief, Wing Operational Support Airlift Scheduling, 86th Operations Support Squadron, Ramstein Air Base (AB), Germany
7. February – November 2009, C-21 Flight Commander, 76th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
8. December 2009 – December 2010, Director of Operations, Command Post, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
9. January 2011 – April 2012, Readiness Flight Commander, 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, Joint Base (JB) McGuireDix-Lakehurst, N.J. (September – November 2011, KC-10 Aircraft Commander, 908 Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates)
10. May 2012 – January 2013, Assistant Operations Officer, 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. (May – July 2012, KC-10 Instructor Pilot, 908 Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates)
11. February 2013 – January 2014, KC-10 Formal Training Unit Instructor and Chief, Wing Current Operations, 305th Operations Support Squadron, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
12. February 2014 – November 2014, KC-10 Examiner and Chief, Standardization/Evaluation, 32nd Air Refueling Squadron, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. (March – May 2014, KC-10 Instructor Pilot, 908 Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates)
13. December 2014 – July 2015, KC-10 Evaluator, 76th Air Refueling Squadron, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
14. July 2015 – March 2016, Assistant Operations Officer, 76th Air Refueling Squadron, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. (January – March 2016, KC-10 Instructor Pilot, 908 Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates)
15. April 2016 – July 2016, 514th Operations Group Standardization/Evaluation, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
16. July 2016 – July 2017, Command KC-10 Evaluator/MAF Resource Manager, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
17. July 2017 – December 2018, KC-10 Functional Area Manager, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
18. December 2018 – May 2019, Chief, Tanker Branch, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga. 19. May 2019 – March 2020, Acting Chief, Mobility Operations Division, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga. 20. March 2020 – 2023, Chief, Tanker Branch, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga. 21. January 2023 - present, Commander, Operations Group, Westover ARB, Mass.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot Flight Hours: More than 4,500 Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1, KC-10, C-21
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2001
First Lieutenant May 30, 2003
Captain May 30, 2005
Major, February 01, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel September 12, 2017
Colonel,
(Current as of Dec 2022)