Colonel Adam B. Willis is the commander of the 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina. He commands 22 units with a mission to provide unrivalled airlift and agile combat support across the spectrum of military operations. The wing provides worldwide movement of high priority personnel and cargo. Missions range from local pilot proficiency training, aeromedical evacuation, contingency response and worldwide strategic airlift, to night-vision goggles, low-level, formation air drop and short-field assault operations.
Colonel Willis began his Air Force career in 1988 after receiving his commission through the Northern Arizona University's Reserve Officer Train Corps program. He has spent his career leading Airmen in the aviation career field as an evaluator pilot, instructor pilot, aircraft commander, standardization chief, director of operations and group commander. Most recently, he was the commander of the 445th Airlift Wing, Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton Ohio.
Colonel Willis has flown more than 450 combat and combat support missions in support of Operations DESERT STORM, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, INHERANT RESOLVE and Kosovo.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Ariz. 1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2003 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Advance Instrument Course, Randolph, Texas
2007 Air War College (correspondence) Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Air Force Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2013 Joint Senior Staff Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2013 Masters of Arts degree in National Security, American Military University, W.V.
2014 Director of Mobility Forces Course (DM4), Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2014 Enterprise Leadership Course, University of North Carolina
2017 Middle East and South Asia, Washington, DC
2018 National and International Security Leadership, Washington, DC 2018 Reserve Component National Security Course (RCNSC)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1990 – February 1993, C-141 pilot, 53rd Airlift Squadron, Norton AFB, Calif.
2. March 1993 – November 1995, T-37 Instructor Pilot, 35th Flight Training Squadron, Reese AFB, Texas
3. December 1995 – July 1996, Flight Commander, 64th Operations Group, Reese AFB, Texas
4. September 1996 – October 1999, C-141 Aircraft Commander, 16th Airlift Squadron, 437th Operations Group, Charleston AFB, S.C.
5. March 2000 – July 2005, C-141C Instructor Pilot, 729th Airlift Squadron, 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
6. August 2005 – July 2007, C-17 EP, Chief Standardization/Evaluation, 452nd Operations Group, March ARB, Calif.
7. July 2007 – August 2010, Director of Operations, 301st Airlift Squadron, 349th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. August 2010 – September 2011, Deputy Group Commander, 349th Operations Group, 349th AMW, Travis AFB, Calif.
9. September 2010 – February 2011, J3 - European Command Plans and Operations Center, Team Chief, Stuttgart, Germany
10. September 2011 – 23 Feb 2014, Operations Group Commander, 433rd OG, 433rd AW, Lackland AFB, Texas.
11. Feb 2014 – May 2016, Wing Commander, 908 AW, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. 23 June 2015 – 5 November 2015, Deputy Director of Mobility Forces, U. S. Air Forces Central Command Combined Air and Space Operations Center, South East Asia.
13. May 2016 – Dec 2019, Commander, 445th Airlift Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
14. Dec 2019 - present, Commander, 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot, instructor
Flight hours: More than 5,600
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, T-1, C-130H2, C-141B, C-141C, C-17A, C-5A/B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with Four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with seven oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal with one device
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with three devices
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
Air Force Longevity Service Award with six oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with one ‘M’ devices
Small Arms Expert Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant November 1988
First Lieutenant November 1990
Captain November 1992
Major October 2000
Lieutenant Colonel August 2006
Colonel February 2013
(Current as of May 2022)