Colonel Geoffrey I. Church is the Installation Commander and the 9th Reconnaissance Wing Commander, Beale Air Force Base, California. He is responsible for approximately 7,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, and the entire Air Force high altitude reconnaissance fleet of U-2 Dragon Lady aircraft. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is comprised of four groups and four overseas operating locations, executing worldwide missions in support of all six geographic combatant commanders.
Colonel Church received his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Kentucky in December 1998. He has served in a variety of positions at the squadron, group, and wing levels. His notable staff tours include Executive Assistant to the Joint Staff J-3, Director for Operations. He also served as the Secretary of Defense Orders Book briefer, where he was the primary briefer to the Secretary of Defense for deployment and execute orders in support of combatant command requirements.
Colonel Church is a command pilot with over 1,700 hours in F-15C/D, F-22, MQ-9, RQ-4, T-37 and T-38 aircraft. Prior to his current position, he was the Headquarters Air Force Division Chief for the F-35 integration office for Headquarters Air Force.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
2005 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada.
2011 Distinguished graduate, Master of Military Operational Art and Science, ACSC, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
2017 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National Defense University, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1999 – January 2001, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Oklahoma.
2. February 2001 – August 2001, Student, F-15C Replacement Training Unit, Tyndall AFB, Florida.
3. August 2001 – April 2004, Instructor Pilot, 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Florida.
4. May 2004 – May 2005, Chief of Standardization and Evaluations, 493d Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom.
5. June 2005 – December 2005, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada.
6. January 2006 – August 2008, Chief, F-22 Weapons and Tactics, 1st Operational Support Squadron, Langley AFB, Virginia.
7. September 2008 – June 2010, Chief, F-22 Tactics Development and Avionics Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Virginia.
8. July 2010 – July 2011 – Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
9. August 2011 – April 2014 – Assistant Director of Operations, 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES); F-22 Test Director, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Detachment 6; and Director of Operations, 5th Generation Fighters, 422d TES, Nellis AFB, Nevada.
10. May 2014 – May 2016, Commander, 12th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale AFB, California.
11. August 2016 – June 2017, Student, National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
12. June 2017 – June 2020, Executive Assistant to the Director for Operations, Joint Staff J3; and Secretary of Defense Orders Book Briefer, Joint Staff J35, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
13. July 2020 – June 2021, Vice Commander, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, and Commander, 451th Air Expeditionary Group, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.
14. July 2021 – May 2022, Division Chief, Operations Division, F-35 Integration Office, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
15. June 2022 – Present, Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, California.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2017 – June 2020, Executive Assistant to the Director for Operations, Joint Staff J3; and Secretary of Defense Orders Book Briefer, Joint Staff J35, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 1,700
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-15C, F-22, RQ-4, MQ-9
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with C-Device
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 18, 1999
First Lieutenant January 18, 2001
Captain January 18, 2003
Major September 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel November 1, 2013
Colonel December 1, 2019
(Current as of June 2022)