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COLONEL MATTHEW O. BERRY

Colonel Matthew O. Berry is the Commandant of Air University’s Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. As the world’s premier in-residence and distance-learning professional military education college for mid-career officers and civilians, Air Command and Staff College focuses on the education and development of air-minded joint leaders. Each year, Air Command and Staff College graduates approximately 500 resident and over 26,000 nonresident students from all U.S. military services, federal agencies and 65 partner nations.

Colonel Berry commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Kansas. His flying experience includes multiple deployments in the MH-53M and as an early cadre member of the CV-22B flying training unit. While deployed, Col. Berry supported Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Freedom’s Sentinel and Resolute Support.

Colonel Berry’s command experience includes squadron command of the 71st Special Operations Squadron and vice commander of the Special Warfare Training Wing. His joint experience includes time as the deputy commander for Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component Afghanistan and as the director of Strategy, Plans and Policy for Special Operations Command Pacific, where he directed the development of special operations plans throughout the Pacific theater of operations. Colonel Berry is a command evaluator pilot and weapons officer with more than 1,800 flight hours and more than 400 combat hours.

EDUCATION
1999    Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan.
2000    Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006    Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008    Air Command and Staff College (distance learning), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010    Master of National Security Studies, American Military University, Charles Town, W.Va.
2013    Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2018    Senior Developmental Education, Air Force Fellow, Santa Monica, Calif

ASSIGNMENTS
1.   January 2000 – July 2000, Officer-in-charge, Ground Scheduling, 22nd Operations Support Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
2.   July 2000 – August 2001, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla., and Ft. Rucker, Ala.
3.   August 2001 – July 2002, MH-53 Mission Qualification Training, 551st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
4.   July 2002 – June 2004, Training Officer, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5.   June 2004 – November 2005, MH-53 Crew Commander, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6.   November 2005 – January 2007, MH-53 Instructor Pilot, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7.   January 2007 – October 2007, MH-53 Weapons Officer/Evaluator Pilot, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
8.   October 2007 – January 2008, Assistant Operations Officer, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
9.   January 2008 – March 2009, CV-22B Mission Qualification Training, 71st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
10.  March 2009 – June 2009, Chief, Weapons and Tactics, CV-22 Mission Pilot, 71st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
11.  June 2009 – July 2010, Chief, Group Weapons and Tactics, CV-22 Instructor Pilot, 58th Operations Support Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
12.  July 2010 – June 2011, Assistant Operations Officer, CV-22 Evaluator Pilot, 71st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
13.  June 2011 – June 2012, Chief, Group Standardization and Evaluation, CV-22 Evaluator Pilot, 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
14.  June 2012 – June 2013, Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
15.  June 2013 – June 2015, Operations Officer, 71st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
16.  June 2015 – November 2016, Commander, 71st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
17.  November 2016 – June 2017, Deputy Commander, 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
18.  June 2017 – June 2018, Student, Air Force Fellows Program, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif.
19.  June 2018 – July 2020, SOCPAC J5 Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy, Camp Smith, Hawaii
20.  July 2020 – June 2022, Vice Commander, Special Warfare Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
21.  June 2022 – present, Commandant, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1.   November 2016 – April 2017, Deputy Commander, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component Afghanistan, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan
2.   June 2018 – July 2020, SOCPAC J5 Director of Strategy, Plans and Policy, Camp Smith, Hawaii

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 1,850 hours
Aircraft Flown: T-37B, UH-1H, MH-53J, MH-53M, MV-22B, CV-22B

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor device
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters

DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant    December 1999
First Lieutenant         December 2001
Captain                     December 2003
Major                         August 2009
Lieutenant Colonel    December 2013
Colonel                     January 2020


(Current as of June 2022)