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COLONEL DAVID W. HICKS
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COLONEL DAVID W. HICKS
Colonel David W. Hicks is the Commander of the 53rd Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The wing comprises approximately 2,200 military and civilian people at 22 locations throughout the United States. The 53rd Wing is responsible for fighter, bomber and remotely piloted air vehicle operational testing and evaluation, and tactics development and evaluation in the areas of electronic combat, armament, avionics and aircrew training devices. His command includes the air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons systems evaluation programs Combat Archer and Combat Hammer, as well as the electronic warfare evaluation program, Combat Shield.
The colonel is a 1989 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. His assignments include flying duties as an A-10 pilot, instructor pilot, weapons officer, and operational test pilot. Colonel Hicks has operational experience in Southwest Asia, Far East Asia, Europe, and Alaska as well as combat tours in Operations Southern Watch, Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He is a command pilot with over 3,700 flying hours, more than 3,500 of which are in the A-10.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Engineering Mechanics, US Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs Colo.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base Ala.
2002 Air Command & Staff College (Correspondence)
2004 Master of Science, Systems Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2007 Air War College (Correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1989 - December 1990, student, undergraduate pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2. January 1991 - May 1991, A-10 fighter training course, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
3. May 1991 - July 1992, A-10 fighter pilot, 74th & 76th Tactical Fighter Squadrons, England AFB, La.
4. July 1992 - May 1995, A/OA-10 instructor pilot, 11th Tactical Air Support Squadron & 355 Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
5. May 1995 - March 1998, A-10 Operational Test Pilot, Chief of A-10 Operational Test, 422 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. March 1998 - June 1999, 51st Fighter Wing Chief of A-10 Weapons and Tactics, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
7. June 1999 - June 20002, A-10 Weapons Instructor Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, 66th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. June 2002 - August 2003, Executive Officer to the Commander, USAF Warfare Center, Nellis AFB Nev.
9. August 2003 - September 2004, student, AF Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
10. September 2004 - May 2006, Deputy Chief of Weapons and Tactics Branch, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
11. May 2006 - June 2007, Director of Operations, 66th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
12. June 2007 - January 2009, Commander, 66th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
13. January 2009 - June 2009, Deputy Commandant, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
14. June 2009 - June 2010, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, General Dynamics
15. June 2010 - July 2011, 451st Expeditionary Operations Group Commander, Kandahar AB, Afghanistan
16. July 2011 - present, Commander, 53d Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,700 hours
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, A-10A, OA-10, A-10C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
GWOT Expeditionary Medal
GWOT Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1, 1989
First Lieutenant May 1, 1991
Captain May 1, 1993
Major Aug. 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel Apr. 1, 2005
Colonel Sept. 1, 2009
(Current as of July 2011)
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