Lt. Col. Daniel A. Muñoz is the 188th Operations Group, Commander, at the 188th Wing, Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Ark. He is responsible for providing trained MQ-9A Reaper remotely piloted aircraft crews, and associated support to conduct 24/7 combat operations for geographic combatant commanders. He leads 98 pilots, sensor operators, and intelligence analyst Airmen to meet combatant command requirements. As commander, he coordinates all manning, training, and equipment to support Airmen to meet combat taskings & guidance with global stakeholders/command agencies.
Lt. Col. Muñoz entered the Air Force in May 2007 through Reserve Officer Training Corps from the University of Tampa, serving ten years of active-duty service with the Department of the Air Force. He completed pilot training in December 2009 through the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas. In 2009, his first operational assignment was with the 3rd Special Operations Squadron as an MQ-1 Pilot and Flight Chief of Operations, flying over 1800 hours flying combat in operations Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. In 2012, he completed B-52H Initial Qualification Training with the 11th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La. From there he transferred to the 69th Bomb Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D., from 2012 to 2016 deploying twice to Andersen AFB, Guam supporting Pacific Power Projection missions. At the end of his second deployment, he also supported Pacific Command and the 613th Air Operations Center as Assistant Bomber Liaison, coordinating the transition to Bomber Task Force missions and the replacement of B-52Hs at Andersen AFB, Guam with B-1Bs from Ellsworth AFB, S.D. He completed his time at Minot as Assistant Director of Operations preparing the 69th Bomb Squadron for its first deployment to Qatar in years.
The colonel separated from active duty and transferred to the Arkansas Air National Guard and the 188th Wing in January 2018. He completed the MQ-9 Initial Qualification Training Course at March Air Reserve Base, Riverside, Calif. Upon his return to Fort Smith, he focused on leading the training and development of personnel as Flight Commander, and the 188 OG’s Director of Staff supporting three squadrons in support of Operations Freedom’s Sentinel, Spartan Shield, Inherent Resolve, Atlantic Resolve, and Prosperity Guardian. Prior to his current position, the lieutenant colonel was the Director of Operations for the 184th Attack Squadron, 188th Operations Group, Ebbing ANGB, Ark.
EDUCATION
2007 Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Tampa, Fla.
2011 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2024 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
- June 2007 – December 2008, Student Pilot, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
- January 2009 – July 2009, Student, MQ-1B Basic Qualification Course, 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
- July 2009 – September 2010, MQ-1B, Flight Safety Officer, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
- September 2010 – January 2011, MQ-1B Safety Officer, 62 Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Jalalabad, Afghanistan
- January 2011 – May 2011, MQ-1B, Flight Training Officer 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
- May 2011 – December 2011, MQ-1B, Flight Chief of Training, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
- December 2011 – November 2012, MQ-1B, Flight Chief of Operations, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
- November 2012 – November 2013, Student, B-52H Initial Qualification Course, 11th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
- November 2013 – April 2015, B-52H Pilot, Assistant Flight Commander, 69th Bomb Squadron, Minot, N.D.
- April 2015 – July 2016, B-52H Aircraft Commander, Flight Safety Officer, 69th Bomb Squadron, Minot, N.D.
- July 2016 – August 2016, B-52H Aircraft Commander, Asst. Bomber Liaison, 613 AOC, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
- August 2016 – December 2017, B-52H Aircraft Commander, Asst. Director of Operations, 69th Bomb Squadron, Minot, N.D.
- January 2018 – December 2018, Scheduler, 184th Attack Squadron, Ebbing ANGB, Ark.
- January 2019 – December 2019, Assistant Flight Commander, 184th Attack Squadron, Ebbing ANGB, Ark.
- January 2020 – December 2021, Flight Commander, 184th Attack Squadron, Ebbing ANGB, Ark.
- January 2021 – December 2022, Director of Staff, 184th Attack Squadron, Ebbing ANGB, Ark.
- December 2022 – June 2024, Director of Operations, 184th Attack Squadron, Ebbing ANGB, Ark.
- June 2024 – Jul 2025, Commander, 184th Attack Squadron, Ebbing ANGB, Ark.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,000
Aircraft flown: T-37B, T-38A, MQ-1B, B-52H, and MQ-9A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with twenty oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Permanent member, Army War College Foundation
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2007
First Lieutenant May 30, 2009
Captain May 30, 2011
Major October 01, 2018
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 04, 2023
(Current as of July 2025)