Col Patterson serves as the 188th Mission Support Group Commander. In this role he oversees civil engineering, communications, contracting, force support, logistics readiness, and security forces. The Mission Support Group enables wing wide combat readiness and sustainment to operations conducted from Ebbing Air National Guard Base.
He previously commanded the 214th Operations Support Squadron, 162d Wing, Tucson, Arizona, and the 30th Reconnaissance Squadron Detachment 1, 451st Wing, Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan. Additionally, he served as Chief of Executive Engagements, Office of the Director of the Air National Guard, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Col Patterson received his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz. He is a command pilot with over 3,300 hours in the T-37, T-38, B-1B, MQ-1B, RQ-170, and MQ-9A. He has commanded combat missions in operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Freedom Sentinel, Resolute Support, and Juniper Shield. He has deployed as a liaison officer to an air operations center and multiple special operations joint task forces.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Ariz.
2009 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Masters of Arts degree in Defense and Strategic Studies, College of Naval Command and Staff, US Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2018 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2020 Harvard Kennedy School of Government National Security Fellowship, Cambridge, Mass.
2020 Joint and Combined Warfighter School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Vir.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2001 – February 2002, special assistant to the commander, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
2. March 2002 – July 2004, undergraduate pilot training student and squadron executive officer, 80th Operations Support Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. August 2004 – June 2006, B-1B student pilot and wing flight safety officer, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas
4. June 2006 – October 2006, MQ-1B student pilot, 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
5. October 2006 – October 2008, MQ-1B instructor pilot and chief of training, 3d Special Operations Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. October 2008 – April 2011, MQ-1B evaluator pilot, flight commander, and assistant director of operations, 3d Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
7. May 2011 – November 2012, RQ-170 pilot, chief of training, and detachment commander (deployed), 30th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
8. November 2012 – June 2015, MQ-1B instructor pilot, flight commander and chief of weapons and tactics, 214th Reconnaissance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
9. July 2015 – June 2016, student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Newport, R.I.
10. June 2016 – June 2017, chief of executive engagements, Office of the Director of the Air National Guard, Joint Base Andrews, M.D.
11. July 2017 – February 2018, Director of Operations and MQ-9 pilot, 214th Attack Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
12. February 2018 – June 2019, Commander, 214th Operations Support Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
13. July 2019 – May 2020, National Security Fellow, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
14. June 2020 – July 2021, Special Assistant to the Commander, 214th Attack Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
15. July 2021 – Present, Commander, 188th Mission Support Group, Ebbing ANGB, Ark.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,400
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38A, B-1B, MQ-1B, RQ-170, and MQ-9A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with nineteen oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze stars
Iraq Campaign Medal
NATO Medal
PUBLICATIONS
Defeating the Threat of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems, Air and Space Power Journal, Volume 31, Issue 1, spring 2017
Enlisted RPA Pilots: The Path to Air Mission Command, Air and Space Power Journal, Volume 31, Issue 3, fall 2017
Ethical Imperatives for Lethal Autonomous Weapons, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, June 2020
(Current as of October 2021)