Col. Joshua Lundeby is the Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance Air Force Base, Okla. He leads a wing of over 2,700 personnel conducting undergraduate pilot training for more than 300 U.S. Air Force and Allied student pilots each year. The wing operates a fleet of over 185 aircraft, flies more than 55,000 sorties and logs more than 80,000 flying hours each year. He is also responsible for executing $550 million in flying and base operations contracts.
Col. Lundeby commissioned in 2003 after graduating from Central Washington University, majoring in Physics and was named class, “Distinguished Graduate.” He has an expert background in mobility operations with qualifications in two major weapons systems – the KC-135R/T and C-17A. He served in a variety of command and staff positions, including Joint Staff J4 Distribution Division Chief, Commander of the 100th Operations Support Squadron, Senior Executive Officer to the Air Mobility Commander and Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of the Air Force. He also served as an evaluator pilot in the Special Operations Low Level II program and the C-17A Formal Training Unit. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School and has flown more than 280 combat missions in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, logging more than 740 combat hours. Col. Lundeby is a Command Pilot with over 3,300 flight hours.
Prior to his current position, he was the Deputy Commander, 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan.
EDUCATION
2003 Distinguished Graduate, Bachelor’s Degree in Physics, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Wash.
2007 Master of Business Administration, Touro University International, Cypress, Calif.
2009 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2011 United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Strategic Policy Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2021 Distinguished Graduate, Master of National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
2024 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.November 2003 – January 2005, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Distinguished Graduate, Vance AirForce Base (AFB), Okla.
2.June 2005 – June 2007, Training Officer, Awards and Decorations Officer and C-17A Aircraft Commander, 17th AirliftSquadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
3.June 2007 – February 2010, Assistant Flight Commander, Chief of Squadron Special Operations, Special Operations Plans andC-17A Instructor Pilot, 437th Operations Group Staff, Charleston AFB, S.C.
4.February 2010 – January 2011, Flight Commander and C-17A Evaluator Pilot, 17th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
5.January 2011 – June 2011, Student, United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. August 2011 – June 2012, Chief of Tactics and C-17A Flying Training Unit Instructor Pilot, 58th Airlift Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
7. June 2012 – April 2013, Flight Commander, Wing Weapons/Tactics and C-17A Flying Training Unit Evaluator Pilot, 97th Operations Support Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
8. April 2013 – June 2014, Chief Wing Executive Officer and C-17A Flying Training Unit Evaluator Pilot, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus AFB, Okla.
9. July 2014 – June 2015, Student, Air Force Fellow, Strategic Policy Fellowship – Office of International Transportation and Trade, United States Department of Transportation and SECAF/CSAF Executive Action Group, Headquarters Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. June 2015 – August 2016, Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. August 2016 – May 2017, Chief of Safety, 100th Air Refueling Wing, Royal Air Force (RAF) Mildenhall, United Kingdom
12. May 2017 – May 2019, Commander, 100th Operations Support Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
13. May 2019 – July 2020, Senior Executive Officer to the Air Mobility Commander, Scott AFB, Ill.
14. July 2020 – June 2021, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Distinguished Graduate, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
15. June 2021 – June 2023, Chief, Distribution Division, The Joint Staff, Directorate for Logistics (J4), Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. June 2023 – July 2025, Deputy Commander, 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base (AB), Japan
17. July 2025 – Present, Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2021 – June 2023, Chief, Distribution Division, The Joint Staff, Directorate for Logistics (J4), Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3300
Aircraft flown: T-37B, T-1A, C-17A, KC-135R/T, HH-60G, E-3G and T-6A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Action Ribbon
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 25, 2003
First Lieutenant June 25, 2005
Captain June 25, 2007
Major Nov. 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2016
Colonel March 1, 2021
(Current as of August 2025)