Colonel Adrian R. Byers is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Fifth Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan. He is responsible for assisting the commander in leading Headquarters Pacific Air Forces forward element in Japan, made up of three specialized wings consisting of 15,000 Airmen and Department of Defense civilians. As the command's senior reservist, he advises the commander on reserve operations, plans and programs, policies and procedures ensuring reserve force readiness and mobilization of reserve forces when activated and received into the command.
Colonel Byers is a graduate of Delaware State University and received his commission through Officer Training School in 1995. He has served as an instructor aircraft commander in both C-5A/B/C and KC- 135R/T aircrafts. He is a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours, including more than 360 combat hours in direct support of Operations IRAQI and ENDURING FREEDOM. In addition to his operational flying assignments, Colonel Byers has deployed to both Qatar and Afghanistan. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing level. His staff assignments include North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), United States Joint Forces Command, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Headquarters United States Air Force, and Fifteenth Air Force. Prior to his current position, he served as the Individual Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Fifteenth Air Force, Shaw Air Force S.C. In his civilian capacity, the colonel is a pilot with a major airline.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science, Aircraft Systems Management, Delaware State University, Dover, Del.
1995 Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Master of Business Administration, Norwich University, Northfield, Vt.
2010 Master of Military Arts and Science, Military History, U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Fort
Leavenworth, Kan.
2011 Joint Forces Staff College, NSA Norfolk, Va.
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Accident and Safety Board President Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Director of Mobility Forces, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2019 Reserve National Security Course, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
2023 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Seminar XXI, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1995–January 1997, Student, Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2. April 1997–June 2002, C-5 Copilot, later Aircraft Commander, 326th Airlift Squadron, Dover AFB, Del.
3. June 2002–January 2004, Chief of Supply then Assistant Readiness Flight Commander, Instructor Aircraft Commander, 21st Airlift Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
4. January 2004–March 2005, Executive Officer to the Commander, 60th Operations Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
5. June 2005, Student, KC-135R/T Aircraft Commander Initial Qualification, Altus AFB Okla.
6. June 2005–March 2006, Assistant Operations Officer, 905th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
7. November 2005–December 2005, Student, Squadron Officer School, Squadron Officer College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. March 2006–December 2006, Chief Wing Inspections, later Deputy Inspector General, 319th Air Refueling Wing, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
9. July 2006–August 2006, KC-135R/T Certified Flight Instructor Course, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
10. December 2006–December 2007, Wing Executive Officer to the Commander, 319th Air Refueling Wing, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
11. January 2008–March 2008, Operations Officer, 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
12. April 2008–April 2009, Chief, Wing Plans and Programs and later Chief, Wing Operations Center, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
13. May 2009–November 2009, Chief, Theater Safety, NATO-International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan
14. December 2009–December 2010, Student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
15. January 2011–June 2011, Acting Deputy Director, Washington Liaison, United States Joint Forces Command, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
16. July 2011–June 2012, Operations Research Analyst, Joint Staff J8, Simulations and Gaming Division, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
17. July 2012–April 2013, Executive Assistant to the Vice Director J8, Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment Directorate, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
18. May 2013–March 2015, Commander, 6th Operations Support Squadron, 6th Operations Group, 6th Air Mobility Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.
19. April 2015–August 2015, Special Assistant to the Wing Commander for Wing Plans and Assessments, 6th Air Mobility Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.
20. August 2015–June 2017, Headquarters United States Air Force A9, Liaison to Air Force Lessons Learned, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
21. July 2017–November 2020, Vice Commander, 514th Air Mobility Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
22. April 2020–July 2020, Commander, 64th Air Expeditionary Group, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
23. December 2020–August 2023, Individual Mobilization Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Fifteenth Air Force, Shaw AFB, S.C.
24. September 2023–Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Fifth Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2009–November 2009, Chief of Theater Safety, International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan as a Major
2. January 2011–June 2011, Acting Deputy Director, Washington Liaison, United States Joint Forces Command, Pentagon, Washington D.C. as a Major
3. July 2011–May 2013, Operations Research Analyst and Executive Assistant to the Vice Director J8, Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment Directorate, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a Lieutenant Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: 3088 including more than 360 combat hours Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1, C-5A/B/C, KC-135R/T, and KC-10A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Achievement Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Aug. 11, 1995
First Lieutenant Aug. 11, 1997
Captain Sept. 29, 2000
Major Aug. 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 1, 2011
Colonel July 13, 2017
(Current as of 29 February 2024)