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COLONEL DAVID R. LOPEZ

Colonel David R. Lopez is the Commander of the 1st Fighter Wing, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. He is responsible for the worldwide rapid deployment and employment of F-22 air dominance fighters in support of Combatant Commander taskings. He oversees 1,400 personnel, two airfields, two groups and six squadrons, including two F-22 fighter squadrons and a T-38 fighter training squadron.
 
Colonel Lopez earned his commission and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1996. He attended Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB where he was a Distinguished Graduate and winner of the AETC Commander’s Trophy. Following pilot training, Colonel Lopez attended F-15C Training at Tyndall AFB where he was also the Distinguished Graduate and winner of the academic and flying awards.
 
Colonel Lopez has extensive operational, test, and training experience in the F-15C and F-22, and multiple deployments to the Middle East. He was a member of the F/A-22 initial cadre in 2004 and later served as the F-22 Division Commander in the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron. Colonel Lopez is a Command Pilot with over 1900 hours in the F-22 and F-15C, including 84 combat hours over Southwest Asia. In his previous assignment, Colonel Lopez served as the Director of Weapons System Integration in the Air Warfare division, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment. Colonel Lopez is married to Dr. Linda Lopez and they have three sons, Tyler, Jackson, and Carter.
 
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science, Aeronautics & Astronautics, MIT, Cambridge, MA
2002 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB, AL
2007 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2008 Master of Science, Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
2010 Master of Science, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Norfolk, VA
2016 Master of Arts, College of International Security Affairs, Distinguished Graduate, Ft McNair, VA
 
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Apr 97 – May 98, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, TX
2. May 98 – Jun 98, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Sheppard AFB, TX
3. Jun 98 – Jan 99, Student, F-15C Formal Training Unit, Tyndall AFB, FL
4. Feb 99 – Sep 01, F-15C Instructor Pilot, 58th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
5. Sep 01 – May 03, F-15C FTU Instructor Pilot / Academic Instructor, 325th OSS, Tyndall AFB, FL
6. May 03 – Jun 04, F-15C FTU Instructor Pilot/ Flight Commander, 1st Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
7. Jun 04 – May 05, Student, F-22 Formal Training Unit, 43rd Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
8. Jun 05 – Sep 06, F-22 FTU Instructor Pilot / Chief of Stan Eval, 43rd Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
9. Sep 06 – Sep 08, F-22 Operational Test Pilot / Division Commander, 422nd TES, Nellis AFB, NV
10.Sep 08 – Jul 09, F-22 Operational Test Pilot / Assistant Director of Operations, 422nd TES, Nellis AFB, NV11.Jul 09 – Jun 10, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, National Defense University, Norfolk, VA12.Jun 10 – Jul 12, Joint Operational Planner / Chief, Training Division (J37), Headquarters Joint Enabling Capabilities Command, USTRANSCOM, Norfolk, VA13.Sep 12 – Mar 13, Director of Operations, 1st Operations Support Squadron,JB Langley-Eustis, VA14.Mar 13 – Jul 15, Commander, 1st Operations Support Squadron, JB Langley-Eustis, VA15.Jul 15 – Jun 16, Counter-Terrorism Fellow, College of International Security Affairs, Ft. McNair, VA16.Jun 16 – Jun 18, Air Warfare Staff Specialist, Office of the Secretary of Defense Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.17.Jun 18 – Jun 19, Commander, 1st Operations Group, JB Langley-Eustis, VA18.Jun 19 - present, Commander, 1st Fighter Wing, JB Langley-Eustis, VA
 
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1.Jun 10 – Jul 12, Joint Operational Planner / Chief, Training Division (J37), Headquarters Joint EnablingCapabilities Command, USTRANSCOM, Norfolk, VA, as a major and lieutenant colonel
2.Jun 16 – Jun 18, Air Warfare Staff Specialist, Office of the Secretary of Defense Staff, Pentagon,Washington D.C., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
 
FLIGHT INFORMATION 
Rating: Command Pilot Flight Hours: Over 2100 total, 84 combat Primary aircraft flown: F-22, F-15C Other aircraft flown: T-38A, T-37, AT-38 
 
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS: 
Defense Superior Service Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters Air Medal Aerial Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster Joint Service Achievement Medal Air Force Achievement Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 oak leaf cluster Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 3 oak leaf clusters Combat Readiness Medal National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and 1 oak leaf cluster 
 
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant Jul 1996
First Lieutenant Jul 1998
Captain Jul 2000
Major Jul 2006
Lieutenant Colonel Dec 2010
Colonel Apr 2017
(Current as of June 2019)

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