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COLONEL ERIC M. PETERSON

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Colonel Eric Peterson is the Dean of Students, of Air War College. He is a command pilot with over 5,000 hours in airlift and training aircraft.

Col. Peterson graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2002 as a distinguished graduate and attended pilot training at Moody AFB, Ga. and Columbus AFB, Miss. After earning his pilot wings, he served in a multitude of roles across the mobility and pilot training enterprises, becoming an evaluator and instructor in both the C-17A and T-1A. From 2016 to 2018, Col. Peterson served as an Air Power Strategist at Headquarters Air Force, Washington D.C. and was the lead action officer for the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s Focus Area 2 to strengthen joint leaders and teams. After leaving the Pentagon, Col. Peterson served as Director of Operations and Commander, 99th Flying Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio Randolph, TX. In this position, he led the Air Force’s only T-1A Pilot Instructor Training squadron and developed and executed the first classes of the Accelerated Path to Wings (XPW) program.

Col. Peterson is a command pilot with over 5,500 hours in the T-6A, T-1A, and C-17A, including over 1,200 combat hours in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.

Prior to his current position, Col. Peterson served as an instructor at Air War College and Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

EDUCATION 
2002 Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, United States Air Force Academy, Colo. 
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 
2009 Master of Arts, Theological Studies, Liberty University, Va.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kans. 
2016 Master of Military Operational Arts and Science, School of Advanced Military Studies, Kans.
2022 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS 
1.    November 2002 – June 2003, Student Pilot, 479th Operations Support Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga. 
2.    June 2003 – December 2003, Student Pilot, 48th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3.    May 2004 – August 2008, C-17A Instructor Pilot/Operations Controller, Mobility Officer, 10th Airlift Squadron, JB Lewis McChord, Wash.
4.    December 2008 – October 2011, T-1A Instructor Pilot/Operations Group Executive Officer, Flight Commander, 48th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. 
5.    January 2012 – February 2013, C-17A Evaluator Pilot/Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Assistant Director of Operations, 14th Airlift Squadron, JB Charleston, S.C.
6.    February 2013 – June 2014, C-17A Evaluator Pilot/Director of Staff, 437th Operations Group, JB Charleston, S.C.
7.    June 2014 – May 2015, Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.
8.    June 2015 – May 2016, Student, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kans.
9.    June 2016 – June 2018, Air Power Strategist, Headquarters US Air Force, Pentagon, Va.
10.    Nov 2018 – April 2019, Director of Operations, 99th Flying Training Squadron, JBSA Randolph, TX
11.    April 2019 – May 2021, Commander, 99th Flying Training Squadron, JBSA Randolph, TX
12.    June 2021 – June 2022, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala
13.    June 22 – June 2023, Course Director, Leadership in Command, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala
14.    June 2023 – May 2024, Instructor and Mobility Air Forces Chair, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15.    May 2024 – present, Dean of Students, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating:  Command Pilot
Flight hours:  more than 5,500
Aircraft Flown:  T-6A, T-1A, C-17A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal 

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Distinguished Graduate, United States Air Force Academy 
Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School 
Top 10%, Army Command and General Staff College
Highest Academic Distinction, Air War College

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant     May 29, 2002 
First Lieutenant         May 29, 2004 
Captain            May 29, 2006 
Major            March 1, 2012 
Lieutenant Colonel     February 1, 2017 
Colonel             September 1, 2023

(Current as of April 2025)