Colonel Eric M. Bissonette is the Commander, 71st Operations Group, Vance Air Force Base, Okla. He supervises all flying activities for the 71st Flying Training Wing as it conducts Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training for over 300 U.S. Air Force and Allied student pilots each year. The group operates more than 185 aircraft, flies over 55,000 sorties annually and logs more than 80,000 flying hours each year.
Colonel Bissonette entered the Air Force in June 2000 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He earned his wings at Vance AFB, Oklahoma in 2002 and has served in a variety of operational and training positions throughout his career including commanding the 558th Flying Training Squadron at Randolph AFB, Texas. He is a graduate of US Army War College and USAF Air Command and Staff College.
Colonel Bissonette is a command pilot with more than 2,600 flying hours and led combat missions in support of OPERATIONs IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 2001 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Master of Business Administration, TUI University, Calif.
2010 Aviation Safety Program Management Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2010 Aircraft Mishap Investigation Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2013 Master of Military Operational Arts and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Air War College (Correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Master of Strategic Studies, Army War College, Carlisle, Pa.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.June 2000 – March 2001, wing programmer, Cannon AFB, N.M.
2.March 2001 – June 2002, student, undergraduate pilot training, Vance AFB, Okla.
3.August 2002 – November 2002, student, T-37 Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
4.December 2002 – September 2005, T-37 instructor pilot, flight scheduler, assistant flight commander,Phase 1 flight commander, Vance AFB, Okla.
5.September 2005 – September 2008, B-1 aircraft commander, flight commander, Squadron Safety Officer,Dyess AFB, Texas
6.January 2009 – April 2009, student, T-38 Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas
7.May 2009 – April 2013, T-38 evaluator/instructor, wing director of staff, wing executive officer, squadronassistant director of operations, squadron safety officer, Laughlin AFB, Texas
8.July 2013 – June 2014, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9.July 2014 – November 2014, Deputy Commander Detachment 4, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
10.November 2014 – June 2015, Chief of Rated Officer Management, A1, Air Combat Command, JBLangley-Eustis, Va.
11.June 2015 – June 2016, Career Development Branch Chief, A1, Air Combat Command, JB LangleyEustis, Va.
U N I T E D S T A T E S A I R F O R C E
12.January 2017 – January 2018, T-38 Pilot Instructor Training Instructor, wing director of staff, JB San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
13.March 2018 – April 2020, Commander, 558th Flying Training Squadron, JB San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
14.April 2020 – July 2020, Deputy Group Commander, 12th Operations Group, JB San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
15.August 2020 – June 2021, Student, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Carlisle, Pa.
16.July 2021 – June 2023, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander, United States Forces Korea and United States Forces Korea Air Force Element Section Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, South Korea
17.July 2023 – June 2024, 19th Air Force Combat Air Forces and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Division Chief, JB San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
18.June 2024- present, Commander, 71st Operations Group, Vance AFB, Okla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
July 2021 – June 2023, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander, United States Forces Korea and United States Forces Korea Air Force Element Section Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys, South Korea, as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,600 Aircraft flown: B-1, T-38, and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal Humanitarian Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War On Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 2000
First Lieutenant June 1, 2002
Captain June 1, 2004
Major March 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2015
Colonel September 1, 2021
(Current as of June 2024)