COLONEL MICHAEL E. WALSH
Colonel Michael Walsh is the Commander of the 932d Operations Group, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He leads a group of 225 military and civilian personnel in three squadrons and one flight. The group has two main missions: aeromedical evacuation and executive airlift. The 932d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron provides combat-ready medical professionals capable of evacuating ill and injured persons within 24-hours of notification. The 73d Airlift Squadron and the 54th Airlift Squadron fly Air Force Reserve Command’s VIPSAM mission on four C-40C aircraft, providing world-class transportation for our nation’s military and civilian leaders to destinations around the world.
Colonel Walsh attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul MN, and received his commission through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in May 1994. While on active duty, he served as a KC-135 Evaluator Navigator at Grand Forks AFB, followed by an assignment as an instructor for Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training at Randolph AFB, TX. He then transitioned to the New York Air National Guard’s 101st Rescue Squadron and attended Undergraduate Pilot Training to become an HH-60G Combat Search and Rescue helicopter pilot. He later joined the Air Force Reserves’ 301st Rescue Squadron at Patrick AFB, FL where he served as 301st Rescue Squadron Commander, followed by serving as the 920th Operations Group Deputy Commander and Chief of Wing Safety. He is a Command Pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours as a pilot, 1,800 as a navigator and over 250 combat hours. He has flown numerous sorties in support of OPERATION FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, OPERATION RESOLUTE SUPPORT, OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, OPERATION NORTHERN WATCH, OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH, and OPERATION ALLIED FORCE.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Arts degree, Business, University of St. Thomas, MN
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2004 Master of Business, Finance, City University, Bellevue, WA
2010 Air Command and Staff College by Correspondence, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2018 Air War College by Correspondence, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
Sept 1994 – Feb 1996, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, TX
Feb 1996 – Sept 1999, Chief Navigator Standardization and Evaluation, Grand Forks AFB, ND
Sept 1999 – Sept 2002, Assist Flight Commander, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, TX
Sept 2002 – Apr 2003 Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, MS
Apr 2003 – Dec 2003, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training – Helicopter, FT Rucker AIN, AL
Dec 2003 – Jun 2004, Student, HH-60G Initial Qualification Training, Kirtland AFB, NM
Jun 2004 – Jun 2011, Flight Commander, 101st Rescue Squadron, F.S. Gabreski, Westhampton Beach, NY
Jun 2011 – Aug 2015, Assistant Director of Operations, 301st Rescue Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL
Aug 2015 – Jan 2019, Commander, 301st Rescue Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL
Jan 2019 – April 2021, Deputy Operations Group Commander, Patrick AFB, FL
April 2021 – Dec 2023, Chief of Wing Safety, Patrick SFB, FL
Dec 2023 – Present, Commander, 932d Operations Group, Scott AFB, IL
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,500 as a pilot, 1,800 as a navigator
Aircraft flown: KC-135R/T (Nav), T-43 (Nav), T-37, UH-1, HH-60G
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with C device and four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Combat Action Medal