Colonel David Ross is the Vice Commander 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. As Vice Commander, the colonel plays a key role in the planning, and execution of military operations to include counter-air, aerial interdiction, and close-air support on the Korean Peninsula. The wing consists of more than 2,700 active-duty personnel, four groups, and 13 squadrons including two F-16 fighter squadrons
Prior to this assignment, Colonel Ross was the Commander of Detachment 6, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. where he was responsible for planning conducting, and reporting on realistic, objective, and impartial operational testing and evaluation of fighter aircraft. This included evaluating the operational effectiveness, suitability, and mission capability of the F-35, F-22, F-15C/E, F-16, and A-10, and reporting the results in support of major acquisition program milestone decisions and combatant command fielding decisions.
Colonel Ross was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1998. He is currently a senior pilot with more than 2,000 flying hours, including over 200 combat hours. His operational assignments include service in the 389th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; 522nd Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.; 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea; and the 480th Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany. Colonel Ross flew in Operations Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom and instructed at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School.
EDUCATION
1998 – Bachelor of Arts in mathematics, University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky.
2004 – Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 – U.S. Air Force F-16 Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2008 – Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2012 – Masters of Business Administration, Trident University International, Cypress, Calif.
2012 – Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2018 – Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1998 – July 1999, Chief, Officer Procurement, 364th Recruiting Squadron, Sacramento, Calif.
2. July 1999 – November 2000, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training and Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. December 2000 – August 2001, student, F-16 Formal Training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. August 2001 – February 2004, instructor pilot and Chief of Mobility, 389th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
5. February 2004 – December 2006, instructor pilot and Flight Commander, 522nd Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
6. January 2007 – August 2008, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, Korea
7. August 2008 – June 2010, Weapons Instructor Course instructor pilot and Chief of Wing Scheduling, 16th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. July 2010 – June 2011, Weapons Instructor Course instructor pilot and Assistant Director of Operations, 16th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
9. June 2011 – July 2012, student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
10. July 2012 – August 2014, Chief, F-35 Operations Branch, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
11. August 2014 – April 2015, Director of Staff, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
12. April 2015 – December 2015, Director of Operations, 480th Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
13. January 2016 – March 2017, Branch Chief, Flight Operations Division, ACC, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
14. March 2017 – August 2017, Deputy Chief, Flight Operations Division, ACC, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
15. September 2017 – August 2018, Chief, Flight Operations Division, ACC, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
16. September 2018 – May 2019, Director of Staff, Directorate of Air and Space Operations, ACC, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
17. May 2019 – May 2020, Commander, Detachment 6, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
18. May 2020 – Present, Vice Commander, 8th FW, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flying Hours: More than 2,000, including over 200 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38A/B, F-16C/D
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 15, 1998
First Lieutenant May 15, 2000
Captain May 15, 2002
Major April 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 1, 2013
Colonel Sep. 1, 2019
Current as of July 2019