COLONEL RUSSELL “RUSTY” ALLISON Published March 5, 2025 Photo of COLONEL RUSSELL P. ALLISON Photo Details / Download Hi-Res Col. Russell Allison serves as the Dean of the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The Air War College is the Air Force’s senior professional military education institution, providing post- graduate senior leader development programs focused on joint, multinational, multi-agency warfighting and international security operations, air, space, and cyber force strategy development and national security planning. Prior to this role, he served as an Associate Dean, Assistant Professor of Strategy, and Regional Security Studies Director at the Air War College. He is a command pilot and career special operations aviator, as well as an award-winning author for his work on the Soviet Union’s nuclear industry. Prior assignments include Deputy Director for the USAF Center for Strategy and Technology, Grand Strategy Seminar student at the United States Air War College, and Commander, 12th Special Operations Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, where he executed the Nation’s only MQ-9 alert capability. Additionally, he served as a deployed Operations Group Commander and Deputy Commander for a Joint Special Operations Air Component supporting Special Operations Command-Africa. Col. Allison graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2000. He has served as an AC-130U Aircraft Commander, MQ-1B Evaluator Pilot, and MQ-9 Pilot. As a command pilot, he has over 2,600 flying hours supporting operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. Col Allison is a Distinguished Graduate of C-130E Aircraft Commander and Copilot School, MQ-1B Predator Pilot School, and the Department of Defense Joint Firepower Course. He also served as an Air Force Fellow at The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Washington D.C. Colonel Allison was born in Claremore, Oklahoma. He is married to Megan Allison, and they have three daughters, Cailin, Cara, and Claire. EDUCATION 2000 Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies, United States Air Force Academy 2006 Squadron Officer School, correspondence & in-residence 2007 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University 2009 Air Command and Staff College, correspondence 2012 Master of International Public Policy, The Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C. 2014 Joint Forces Staff College, Joint and Combined Warfighting School - JPME Phase II 2019 Master of Strategic Studies with Grand Strategy Concentration (Highest Academic Distinction), U.S. Air War College, Grand Strategy Seminar 2023 Doctor of Philosophy, History, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama ASSIGNMENTS 1. October 2000 – January 2002, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, TX 2. March 2002 – May 2002, C-130E Copilot Initial Qualification, Little Rock AFB, AR 3. May 2002 – October 2006, AC-130U Aircraft Commander/Flight Cdr, Hurlburt Field, FL 4. November 2006 – March 2008, MQ-1B Pilot/Weapons & Tactics Officer, Nellis AFB, NV 5. March 2008 – April 2010, MQ-1B Evaluator Pilot/Asst Ops Officer, Cannon AFB, NM 6. April 2010 – June 2011, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, FL 7. June 2011 – May 2012, Air Force Fellow, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, D.C. 8. June 2012 – July 2014, Deputy Director Legislative Affairs, United States Special Operations Command, Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. 9. July 2014 – June 2015, Operations Officer, 12th Special Ops Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM 10. June 2015 – June 2016, Operations Officer, 27th Special Ops Air Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM 11. June 2016 – May 2018, Commander, 12th Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM 12. June 2018 – May 2019, Air War College/Grand Strategy Seminar, Maxwell AFB, AL 13. June 2019 – July 2020, Dep Director, Center for Strategy & Technology, Maxwell AFB, AL 14. July 2020 – May 2023, Air Force Institute of Technology Doctoral Candidate, Auburn University, Auburn, AL SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 2012 – July 2014, Deputy Director Legislative Affairs, United States Special Operations Command, Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. 2. December 2017 – April 2018, Commander, 27th Expeditionary Special Operations Group, Joint Special Operations Air Component-Africa, Kelley Barracks, Germany FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: command pilot Flight hours: more than 2,600 Aircraft Flown: T-37, TC-12, C-130E, AC-130U, MQ-1B, and MQ-9A MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters Aerial Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal Joint Service Achievement Medal Air Force Combat Action Medal Combat Readiness Medal National Defense Service Medal with one star device Iraqi Campaign Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (Current as of June 2025)