Colonel Gregory B. Berry Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. As the air component to the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, USAFE- AFAFRICA is responsible for providing full-spectrum warfighting capabilities to both combatant commanders throughout their area of responsibility, which encompasses 104 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, and possesses more than a quarter of the world’s population and world’s gross domestic product.
Colonel Berry was commissioned a second lieutenant after completing Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. He is a master navigator instructor and evaluator having flown more than 3,900 hours performing airdrop, tactical airlift and aerial firefighting missions. He has flown over 150 combat sorties in Iraq and Afghanistan and has more than 70 aerial firefighting drops. Colonel Berry has deployed in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, RESTORE HOPE, CORONET OAK, INHERENT RESOLVE and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL.
Colonel Berry is a Mobilization Assistant who has worked as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee, Air Reserve Technician and a Traditional Reservist at the squadron, group and wing levels as well as staff experience at the Combatant Command level. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Berry was the Deputy Wing Commander, 934th Airlift Wing Minneapolis ARS, MN.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, Political Science, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va. 1997 Honor Graduate, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Master of Business Administration University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark. 2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2015 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J McNair, Washington D.C.
2018 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 2019 Dual Status Commander Course, USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2019 Domestic Joint Task Force Commander Course, USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo. 2020 NATO Senior Officer Policy Course, The NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany 2021 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1997 – December 1998, Student, specialized undergraduate navigator training and C-130 aircrew training, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., Randolph AFB, Texas, & Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2. January 1999 – June 2002, C-130 Navigator, Instructor, Tactics Officer, Evaluator 41st Airlift Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
3. June 2002 – June 2005, Instructor, Evaluator, Flight Commander, 53rd Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. June 2005 – September 2009, Instructor, Flight Commander, Chief of Tactics, 731st Airlift Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colo.
5. September 2009 – March 2011, Flight Commander 95th Airlift Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
6. March 2011 – June 2015, Current Operations officer, Deputy Operations Group Commander 302nd Operations Support Squadron/302nd Operations Group, Peterson AFB, Colo.
7. June 2015 – June 2017, Commander, 731st Airlift Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colo. (January 2016 – May 2016, Commander, 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
8. July 2017 – June 2018, Student, United States Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
9. July 2018 – June 2020, Commander, 302nd Operations Group, Peterson AFB, Colo.
10. June 2020 – October 2020, Commander, 302nd Air Expeditionary Group (Wildland Firefighting), Boise, Idaho
11. October 2020 – July 2021, IMA to the Director-Air Refueling Division, 618th AOC, Scott AFB, Ill.
12. August 2021 – Feb 2024, Deputy Commander, 934th Airlift Wing, Minneapolis-St Paul ARS, Minn.
13. Feb 2024-Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
July 2015 - June 2017, J753 Branch Chief, North American Aerospace Defense Command Headquarters/U.S. Northern Command J75, as a lieutenant colonel
March 2020 - May 2020, Title 10 Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force, Louisiana (COVID Response), as a colonel
Feb 2021-May 2021, Title 10 Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force, New Jersey (COVID Response), as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator Flight hours: More than 3,900
Aircraft: C-130E, C-130H2, C-130H3
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with valor device and six oak leaf clusters Afghanistan Campaign Medal with device
Humanitarian Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Feb 7, 1997
First Lieutenant Feb. 7, 1999
Captain Feb. 7, 2001
Major May 2, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel May 2, 2013
Colonel July 9, 2018
(Current as of January 2024)