Lt. Col. Colby Leathers is the Director of Assignments at Headquarters, Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley Space Force Base, Colo. His directorate provides personnel support to over 1 million Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard and Retired Airmen ensuring they are prepared to deliver Total Force warfighting capability for the Air Force. Leathers works closely with all three Air Force components to develop future processes and leverage technology to support Air Force personnel programs for the future. From initial entry to retirement, the center provides world-class support for Airmen across the spectrum of personnel programs. The center is a major command direct reporting unit of the Air Force Reserve Command.
Leathers enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in January 1991 as a Communications and Navigation Systems Repairman for C-130H aircraft. He was promoted to Technical Sergeant before being selected for the Commissioning Airmen Program graduated from AMS at McGhee-Tyson in Feb 2002 as a Communications Officer. He served as a group executive officer for three years before retraining into Personnel. Since 2005, Leathers has served as a personnel officer at the wing, higher headquarters and Headquarters Air Force levels. Leathers has deployed multiple times in support of Operations PROVIDE PROMISE, JOINT GUARD and ENDURING FREEDOM.
Prior to his current assignment he was the Section Commander for the Air Force Reserve Force Generation Center, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. Preceding that, he was a student at the United States Naval War College, Newport, RI.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, Accounting, the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa Ala
1995 Noncommissioned Officer Preparatory Course, by correspondence
2002 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB Ala.
2005 Reserve Joint Officer Leadership Development Seminar, Washington, DC
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.,
2014 Masters of Arts, Military Operation Art and Science, Maxwell AFB, Ala.,
2014 Air College and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Joint and Combined Warfighting School – Hybrid, Norfolk, Va.
2021 Masters of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, United States Naval War College, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. January 1991 – January 2002, Communications/Navigation Sys Craftsman, 908th Maintenance Group, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2. February 2002 – August 2004, Executive Officer, 908th Maintenance Group, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
3. August 2004 – September 2005, Executive Officer, 908th Mission Support Group, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
4. September 2005 – July 2008, Commander, Military Personnel Flight, 908th Mission Support Flight, Maxwell AFB Ala.
5. July 2008 – August 2011, Chief, Future Operation, Directorate of Plans, Programs and Future Operations, Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley AFB, Colo.
6. January 2011 – July 2011, Commander (Deployed), 451st Expeditionary Force Support Flight, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan
7. August 2011 – August 2012, Chief, Change Management, Directorate of Plans, Programs and Future Operations, Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley AFB, Colo.
8. August 2012 – August 2013, Chief, Total Force Service Center – Denver Operations Division, Total Force Service Center - Denver, Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley AFB, Colo.
9. August 2013 – October 2015, Chief, Personnel Service Delivery Transformation, Directorate of Plans and Integration, Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
10. October 2015 – July 2017, Chief , Joint Reserve Assignments and Joint Officer Management, Directorate of Personnel, Office of the Air Force Reserve, Pentagon, Washington, DC.
11. July 2017 – July 2020, Chief, Manpower and Personnel, Joint Task Force Civil Support (USNORTHCOM), Ft Eustis, Va.
12. July 2020 – June 2021, Student, United States Naval College, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
13. June 2021 – September 2022, Section Commander, AFRC Force Generation Center, Robins AFB, Ga.
14. September 2022 – Present, Director, Assignments, Air Reserve Personnel Center, Buckley SFB, Co
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2017 – July 2020, Chief, Manpower and Personnel, Joint Task Force Civil Support (USNORTHCOM), Ft Eustis, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 2 oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Unit Award with 1 oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor device and 2 oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with 1 oak leaf cluster
Air Force Recognition Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Forces Service Medal with service star
Air Force Expeditionary Medal with Gold Border, oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2010 AF/A1 Force Support Company Grade Officer of the Year, ARC, Operational Level
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman First Class, January 16, 1991
Senior Airman, May 1, 1992
Staff Sergeant, November 1, 1995
Technical Sergeant, January 1, 2000
Second Lieutenant, February 22, 2002
First Lieutenant, February. 22, 2004
Captain, February. 22, 2006
Major, March 14, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel, August 31, 2018
(CURRENT AS OF NOVEMBER 2022)