Col Cory Hollon is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Security Studies at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS), Maxwell AFB, AL. SAASS is the Air Force’s premier graduate program for educating air-minded strategists. As part of an elite faculty of active scholars, Col Hollon develops and teaches graduate courses in theory, policy, and history while mentoring and advising multiple capstone theses each year.
Col. Hollon is a May 1995 graduate of Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communications and religious studies. He earned his commission from Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL, in April 1998 and completed undergraduate navigator training at Pensacola NAS, FL, in August 1999. Col. Hollon went on to be a distinguished graduate from the F-15E fighter training unit. He has graduated from the Sandia National Laboratory Nuclear Weapons Instructor Course, the USAF Weapons School, Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, the School for Advanced Military Studies, the Inspector General Training Course, and the Grand Strategy Seminar of the Air War College. He has led deployments to Central Command, European Command, and Pacific Command areas of responsibility. Col. Hollon has been faculty at the Squadron Officer College, an installation Inspector General, is a plank holder in the Air Force Warfighting Integration Center, and has published numerous articles.
Col. Hollon has flown and instructed in the F-15E at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; RAF Lakenheath, England; and Nellis AFB, Nev. Col. Hollon was the Operations Officer when the 336th Fighter Squadron won the 2015 Air Force Association’s David C. Shilling award for most outstanding flying unit. He has deployed seven times in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, NOBLE EAGLE, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, RESOLUTE SUPPORT and INHERENT RESOLVE. On his most recent deployment, he commanded the 332 Operations Support Squadron at an undisclosed location in the Central Command AOR. Col. Hollon has more than 2,800 flying hours, including more than 1,000 combat hours in the F-15E. In 2022, he earned a PhD in History from Temple University with his dissertation on the defenses in the Hudson Highlands during the American Revolutionary War. Prior to his current position, Col. Hollon was an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Director of the Grand Strategy Seminar at Air War College.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Arts in speech communication and religion, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Ky.
2004 F-15E Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2005 Squadron Officer’s School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010 Master of Arts in history, American Military University, Charles Town, W.Va.
2012 Master of Airpower Arts & Sciences, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Master of Military Operational Arts & Sciences, Army Command & Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
2014 Air War College, by correspondence
2018 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Grand Strategy Seminar, Maxwell AFB, AL
2022 Doctor of Philosophy in History, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
ASSIGNMENTS
January 1998 – April 1998, Officer Trainee, Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
April 1998 – August 1999, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Fla.
September 1999 – December 1999, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Columbus AFB, Miss.
January 2000 – October 2000, Student, F-15E Fighter Training Unit, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
November 2000 – September 2003, F-15E Instructor WSO/Chief of Strike, 336 FS, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
September 2003 – June 2006, F-15E Weapons Officer/Flight Commander, 391 FS, Mt Home AFB, Ida.
June 2006 – August 2008, Chief of Wing Weapons/Assistant Ops Officer, 492 FS, RAF Lakenheath, England
August 2008 – June 2009, Chief of Weapons, 422 Operational Test & Evaluation Sq, Nellis AFB, Nev.
June 2009 – June 2011, Squadron Officer School Instructor/Director of Ops, 30 STUS, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
June 2011 – June 2012, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
June 2012 – June 2013, Student, School of Advanced Military Studies, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
June 2013 – June 2016, 4 FW Inspector General/336 FS Director of Ops/Special Asst to OG/CC, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
June 2016 – June 2017, Commander, 332 Expeditionary Ops Support Sq, Undisclosed Location, AFCENT
June 2017 – June 2018, Air Power Strategist, HQ AF/A5SC, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
June 2018 – June 2019, Student, Grand Strategy Seminar, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
June 2019 – May 2022, Air War College Faculty Development PhD Fellow, Temple University, Philadelphia, Penn.
June 2022 – July 2024, Asst Professor of Strategy/Director of Grand Strategy Seminar, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
July 2024 – Present, Asst Professor of Strategy & Security Studies, School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: more than 2,800 including over 1,000 combat hours
Aircraft flown: F-15E, T-34, T-1, T-39, T-38A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with eleven oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1999 Commodore’s List with Distinction x 3, Undergraduate Navigator Training
1999 Paul F. Lorence Top Graduate from Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training
2000 Distinguished Graduate, F-15E Fighter Training Unit
2005 391 FS Weapons Officer of the Year
2009 30 STUS Flight Commander of the Year
2012 Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College
2012 Eighth Air Force General Michael Hayden Information Operations Paper Award
2018 Academic Distinction, Air War College
PUBLICATIONS
“Professional military education (PME) in the USAF SOS leadership course: Incorporating Emotional Intelligence.” International Journal of Transformative Emotional Intelligence, 1 (2012): 73-96 Coauthored with Richard Hammett and Patricia Maggard
“A Leap in the Dark: The Campaign to Conquer New Mexico and California, 1846-1847.” Army History 94, no. 1 (Winter 2015): 6-25.
“Access, Control, Exploit: Defining Multi-Domain Operations.” The Mitchell Forum 22 (November 2018): 1-9
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Apr 24, 1998
First Lieutenant Apr 24, 2000
Captain May 1, 2002
Major Sep 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel Feb 1, 2013
Colonel May 1, 2019