Col. Derrick R. Franck is the Commander, 8th Operations Group, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. He is responsible for the conduct of conventional air-to-ground and air-to-air missions in support of armistice and wartime taskings to defend the Republic of Korea.
Col Franck earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics and his commission from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado, in 2002. He is a command pilot with more than 2,100 hrs in F-16, T-38, and T-37 aircraft, to include 170 combat hours. He was a graduate and instructor at the U.S. Air Force Weapon School, and attended both the College of Naval Command and Staff and Army War College.
EDUCATION
2002 Distinguished Graduate, Bachelor of Science, Economics, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2009 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010 U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2010 Forward Air Controller-Airborne (FAC-A) course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2013 Masters of Military Arts and Science, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Graduate of Highest Distinction, Masters of National Security & Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2020 Distinguished Graduate, Masters of Strategic Studies, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA.
ASSIGNMENTS
July 2002 - June 2004, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot training, 37th Flight Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
June 2004 - March 2005, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, 302nd Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
March 2005 - April 2006, F-16 Wingman and Asst Chief of Training, 36th Fighter Osan AB, South Korea
April 2006 - Dec 2008, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Asst Chief of Wing Weapons, 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
Dec 2008 - Dec 2009, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, 77th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
January 2010 - June 2010, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada
June 2010 - August 2011 - Chief of Squadron Weapons and Tactics, 77th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
August 2011 - June 2015 - Weapons Instructor, Chief of Wing Scheduling, SEAD Flight Commander, Director of Operations, 16 WPS and 57 OSS, Nellis AFB, Nevada
June 2015 - June 2016, Student, College of Naval Command and Staff, Newport, R.I.
June 2016 - June 2017, Chief of Wing Safety, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
June 2017 - June 2019, Commander, 79th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
June 2019 - June 2020, Student, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania
June 2020 - March 2022, Missile and Space Domain Chief, J3 Executive Officer, J84 Division Chief, United States Northern Command, Peterson SFB, Colorado
March 2022 - May 2024, Chief of the Strategic Analysis and Experimentation Division of the Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense and United States Northern Commands’ Requirements, Analysis and Resources Directorate (J8), Peterson SFB, Colorado
May 2024 - Present, Commander, 8th Operations Group, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
July 2020 – March 2022, Missile and Space Domain Chief, J3 Executive Officer, J84 Division Chief, United States Northern Command, Peterson SFB, Colorado
March 2022 - May 2024, Chief of the Strategic Analysis and Experimentation Division of the Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense and United States Northern Commands' Requirements, Analysis and Resources Directorate (J8), Peterson SFB, Colorado
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,100
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with three Oak Leaf Clusters
(Current as of June 2024)