Col. Sean Pierce is the Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Air and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The directorate is responsible for ensuring PACAF provides ready air, space, and cyber power to promote United States’ interests in the Indo-Pacific region during peacetime, through crisis, and in war. In this capacity, the Director oversees operations for three numbered air forces and 10 wings in support of over 46,000 Airmen serving in Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Alaska, and Guam.
Colonel Pierce was commissioned in 1991 as an Army Aviation Branch Officer. He served in various leadership assignments including heavy lift, medevac, and assault and attack helicopter units. He commanded a Heavy Lift Company, Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Detachment and an Army Aviation Support Facility before transferring to the Air Force Reserve Command in 2003.
Prior to his current position, Colonel Pierce was Commander, 446th Airlift Wing, JBLM, Washington. He also served as the Chief of Tactical Mobility, Special Operations and Combat Search and Rescue Forces Programs, Office of Plans Programs and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington D.C. Additionally, he was a core staff officer with the SECAF/CSAF directed Total Force Task Force and was appointed to the Congressional National Commission for the Structure of the Air Force.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Science degree, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Fla.
1992 U.S. Army Adjutant General Officer Basic Course, Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, Ind.
1999 U.S. Army Aviation Captains Career Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
2001 U.S. Army Combined Arms Service and Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Masters of Military Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, National Defense University, Norfolk, Va.
2015 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
2015 Safety and Accident Investigation Board Presidents Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2017 Director of Mobility Forces (DIRMOBFOR) Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2017 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1991 - December 1993, Student, AG OBC and Initial Entry Rotary Wing Training, Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. December 1993 - June 1994, Flight Leader, 1/140th Attack Helicopter Battalion, Army Aviation Support Facility #2, California Army National Guard, Calif.
3. June 1994 - June 1999, Platoon Leader, Detachment 1, Company E, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, Army Aviation Support Facility #2, Oregon Army National Guard, Ore.
4. June 1999 - December 2000, Platoon Leader and Operations Officer, 1042 Medical Company, JFOR7, Bosnia-Herzegovina
5. December 2000 - September 2003, Commander, Detachment 1, Company E, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment and Detachment 1, Company D, 113th Aviation Regiment, Army Aviation Support Facility #2, Oregon Army National Guard, Ore.
6. September 2003 - November 2005, Flight Commander, 64th Air Refueling Squadron, Portland, Ore.
7. November 2005 - August 2010, Assistant Director of Operations and evaluator pilot, 301st Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. August 2010 - August 2012, Director of Operations, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss.
9. August 2012 - October 2014, Chief of Tactical Mobility, Special Operations and Combat Search and Rescue Forces Programs, Office of Plans Programs and Requirements, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. October 2014 - April 2016, Commander, 932nd Operations Group, Scott AFB, Ill.
11. May 2016 - January 2018, Commander, 446th Operations Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
12. January 2018 - August 2019, Commander, 446th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
13. October 2018 - March 2019, Director of mobility Forces, AFCENT, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
14. August 2019 - Present, Mobilization Assistant to the PACAF A3/6, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 5,800, including 931 combat hours
Aircraft flown: AH-1P/F, UH-1H, UH-60A/L, CH-47D, T-37, T-1A, KC-135R, C-17A, C-130J, WC-130J, C- 40C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with eight oak leaf clusters|
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster Distinguished/Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Medal Humanitarian Service Medal
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Army Service Ribbon
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant August 1991
First Lieutenant August 1994
Captain August 1999
Major April 2004
Lieutenant Colonel August 2010
Colonel March 2015
(Current as of May 2020)