COLONEL MICHAEL R. CONTRATTO

U N I T E D S T A T E S A I R F O R C E

Colonel Michael R. Contratto is the Vice Commander of the 96th Test Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla. With military, civilian, and contractor personnel, the Test Wing's primary missions are developmental testing and evaluation of conventional munitions, command and control systems, F-15 and A-10 avionics, and navigation and guidance systems. The Test Wing manages 41 modified test aircraft; 120,000 square miles of land and water test ranges, plus facilities in six different states to include the 46th Test Group at Holloman AFB, N.M.

He received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1990 with a follow on assignment to Williams AFB, Ariz., for undergraduate pilot training. As an experimental test pilot, Contratto was involved in the Joint Air Surface Standoff Missile, Avionics Midlife Improvement, and Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missile version D test programs for the B-52 and the Joint Standoff Weapon and Block E, F, and E1 upgrades in the B-1. He served as the director of operations at the USAF Test Pilot School and then as the commander of the 417th Flight Test Squadron / Director of the Airborne Laser Combined Test Force, flying several historic ballistic missile shoot-down missions.

Contratto is a Command Pilot with 3,500 flying hours primarily in the B-52, B-1, YAL-1A, T-38, C-12 and 40 other aircraft.

EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science degree in Space Operations, Distinguished Graduate, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1993 Master of Science, Industrial and Systems Engineering (Operations Research), Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
2000 U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
2004 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS:
1. August 1990 - December 1991, undergraduate student pilot, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. January 1992 - April 1993, Air Force Institute of Technology sponsored masters degree at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
3. May 1993 - June 1993, Requalification pilot training, Randolph AFB, Texas.
4. July 1993 - February 1994, B-52 Combat Crew Training, Castle AFB, Calif.
5. March 1994 - June 1999, B-52H, pilot, aircraft commander, instructor pilot, 96th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
6. July 1999 - June 2000, student, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
7. July 2000 - June 2003, B-1/B-52 experimental test pilot and chief of Stan/Eval, 419th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
8. July 2003 - June 2004, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. July 2004 - June 2007, Chief Airborne Laser (ABL) Test Division, ABL System Program Office, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
10. June 2007 - May 2008, Director of Operations, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
11. May 2008 - June 2010, Commander 417th FLTS/Director ABL Combined Test Force, Edwards AFB, Calif.
12. July 2010 - May 2011, Student Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. June 2011 - July 2012, Vice Wing Commander, 46th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
14. July 2012 - present, Vice Wing Commander, 96th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Flying Cross
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant: May 30, 1990
First Lieutenant: May 30, 1992
Captain: May 30, 1994
Major: June 1, 2001
Lt Col: March 1, 2006
Colonel: Aug. 1 2011