Col Chad R. W. Biehl is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 618th Air Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center), Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The 618th AOC is responsible for operational planning, scheduling, directing and assessing a fleet of approximately 1,100 aircraft in support of combat delivery, strategic airlift, air refueling, global air mobility support and aeromedical evacuation operations around the world.
Colonel Biehl is a 1997 graduate of the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, and was commissioned through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 90. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Biehl served as Vice Commander of the 932d Airlift Wing, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The wing is comprised of over 1,100 mission-ready Citizen Airmen that support national interests word-wide with global airlift for U.S. civilian and military leaders and foreign dignitaries, as well as ground and aeromedical patient care, and expeditionary combat support. His past assignments at the combatant command level are as Chief, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, and commander, 954th Reserve Support Squadron, U.S. Transportation Command. His operational background is in special operations, employing MC-130P aircraft, and in executive airlift, flying C-21 and C-40 aircraft.
Colonel Biehl is a senior pilot with 260 combat sorties, 540 combat hours, and over 3,000 military flight hours. He has multiple worldwide deployments where he commanded joint special operations combat missions in support of Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa and Iraqi Freedom.
In his civilian capacity, Colonel Biehl is a captain for a major airline.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colo.
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Masters of Arts, Nonprofit Management, Washington University, Saint Louis, Mo.
2012 Joint Humanitarian Operations Course, Scott AFB, Ill.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2018 Air War College, by correspondence
2021 Joint and Combined Warfighting School - Hybrid, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2022 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Air Expeditionary Center, Detachment 1, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1997 – August 1997, Student, T-3 Flight Screening Program, Hondo Field, Texas.
2. August 1997 – October 1998, Student, T-37/T-1 Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio, Texas.
3. October 1998 – September 2001, C-21A Evaluator/Instructor Pilot, Mobility Officer, Scheduling Officer, Training Officer, 458th Airlift Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill.
4. September 2001 – October 2002, Student, C-130E and MC-130P Initial Mission Qualification and Aircraft Commander Upgrade, Little Rock AFB, Ark., and Kirkland AFB, N.M.
5. October 2002 – January 2007, MC-130P Evaluator/Instructor Pilot, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Chief of Aircrew Training, 9th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
6. January 2007 – March 2012, Inactive Reserve
7. March 2012 – January 2018, Joint Operations Staff Officer, Deputy Branch Chief, Division Chief, 954th Reserve Support Squadron, Joint Transportation Reserve Unit, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. January 2018 – November 2018, Active Component Branch Chief (initial cadre), Commercial Industry Operations, J3 Operations and Plans Directorate, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
9. November 2018 – July 2020, Commander, 954th Reserve Support Squadron and Chief, Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
10. July 2020 – December 2022, Vice Commander, 932d Airlift Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
11. January 2023 – Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, 618th Air Operations Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2012 – October 2018, Joint Operations Staff Officer, Deputy Branch Chief, Branch Chief, Division Chief, Joint Transportation Reserve Unit, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a lieutenant colonel
2. November 2018 – July 2020, Chief, Deployment Distribution Operations Center, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000 military hours
Aircraft flown: T-3, T-37, T-1, C-21A, C-130E, HC-130, MC-130P and C-40
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with Valor Device for Heroism and four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Action Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Gallant Unit Citation
Iraq Campaign Medal with service star
OTHER ACHIEVMENTS
Distinguished Graduate C-130 Initial Qualification and Aircraft Commander Upgrade
Level III Joint Qualified Officer
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1997
First Lieutenant May 28, 1999
Captain May 28, 2001
Major November 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel November 1, 2013
Colonel March 2019
(CURRENT AS OF JANUARY 2023)