Col. Ruben Ricardo Amezaga is Inspector General Team Chief at Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. He leads more than 150 subject matter experts across numerous functional areas in conducting foundational and combat readiness inspections. Through a rigorous inspection strategy, he assists the Inspector General in ensuring readiness and regulatory compliance for over 75 wings to include active-duty, Air National Guard, and Numbered Air Forces assigned or gained to Air Combat Command.
Col. Amezaga earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 2003. After receiving his pilot wings, he served as an Instructor Pilot in the T-37 and T-6 Texan II for Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training. Since then, he has flown the F-16 at various assignments around the world including Japan and South Korea. He has been an F-16 Instructor and Evaluator at the graduate and advanced training levels while serving in leadership roles as a Flight Commander, Operations Officer, and Squadron Commander. Prior to arriving at ACC Headquarters, he was the Chief of Safety of the 57th Wing, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2003 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Air Command and Staff College, in correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Masters of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Air War College, in correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 2003 – November 2004, Student Pilot, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. December 2004 – April 2008, T-37 and T-6 Instructor Pilot, Vance AFB, Okla.
3. May 2008 – July 2008, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Randolph AFB, Tex.
4. August 2008 – June 2009, F-16 Student Pilot, Kelley Field,Tex.
5. July 2009 – September 2012, F-16 Instructor, Chief of Training, Flight Commander, 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan
6. October 2012 – October 2013, F-16 Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan AB, South Korea
7. November 2013 – June 2018, F-16 Instructor, Assistant Director of Operations, Chief of Programmed Flying Training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
8. July 2018 – May 2020, Director of Operations, 507th Air Defense Aggressor Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
9. May 2020 – May 2022, Commander, 507th Air Defense Aggressor Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
10. May 2022 – October 2022, Director of Operations and Plans, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
11. October 2022 – August 2023, Commander, 57th Operations Support Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
12. August 2023 – June 2024, Chief of Safety, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
13. July – 2024 – Present, Inspector General Team Chief, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 3,284
Aircraft flown: F-16C/D, T-38C, T-37, T-6
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2008 Top Third Graduate, Squadron Officer School
(Current as of May 2025)