Show Notes
Major Christopher Wood is the Commander of the 420th Munitions Squadron, RAF Welford, United Kingdom. He is responsible for all munitions operations to maintain USAFE’s second largest weapons stockpile valued at $403 million in War Reserve Materiel. He is also charged with directly supporting the Bomber Task Force at RAF Fairford, and additional taskings from EUCOM. A native of Norco California, Major Wood received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 2008. He was first assigned to F.E. Warren AFB as the Officer in Charge of the Missile Maintenance Teams section, then held various positions in the sustainment of the Minute Man III ICBM weapon system until his departure in 2012. He then served as the instructor supervisor and course developer for the ICBM Maintenance Officers Course at Vandenberg AFB California, before finally serving as the school house Maintenance Operations Officer for all ICBM maintenance training. He then moved on to become the Operations Officer and interim commander of the 341st Munitions Squadron at Malmstrom AFB Montana, before filling his first staff role in USAFE, as the Nuclear Maintenance Branch Chief on the USAFE A/3 staff. Major Wood served in his first full command role at RAF Welford in the UK, and is currently the commander of the 2d Munitions Squadron at Barksdale AFB. Major Wood is married to a wife he doesn’t deserve, and is the father of three amazing children. EDUCATION 2008 Bachelors of Science, Social Sciences, USAFA, Colorado Springs, Colo. 2009 Aerospace Basics Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 2013 Masters of Arts, Educational Leadership, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Calif. 2014 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 2021 Air Command & Staff College (Correspondence) ASSIGNMENTS 1. May 2008 - June 2012, OIC MMT, OIC P&S, OIC MMOC, Facilities Flight Commander, 90th MXG, F.E. Warren AFB Cheyenne, Wyo. 2. June 2012 - June 2016, Instructor, Instructor Supervisor, Course Developer, Maintenance Flight/CC, Maintenance Operations Officer, 532d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. 3. June 2016 - July 2018, Operations Officer, Interim Squadron Commander, 341 MUNS, Malmstrom AFB, Mont. 4. July 2018 - July 2020, Nuclear Maintenance Branch Chief, USAFE-HQ, Ramstein AFB, Germany. 5. July 2020 – June 2022, Commander, 420th Munitions Squadron, RAF Welford, UK. 6. June 2022 – Present, Commander, 2d Munitions Squadron, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Distinguished Graduate Squadron Officer’s School Sijan Leadership Award Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf cluster Joint Service Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant 28 May, 2008 First Lieutenant 28 May, 2010 Captain 28 May, 2012 Major 1 March, 2018
More from Military Unsung Heroes
Assignments July 2002 - August 2002, Student, Basic Military Training, 321 TRS, Lackland AFB, TX August 2002 - November 2002, Student, Electronic Principles, 344 TRS, Lackland AFB, TX November 2002 - March 2003, Student, Missile and Space Systems Electronic Maintenance Training, 532 TRS, Vandenberg SFB, CA March 2003 - June 2006, ICBM Electro-mechanical Technician, 90 MMXS, F.E. Warren AFB, WY June 2006 - June 2008, Wing ICBM Codes Controller, 90 OSS, F.E. Warren AFB, WY June 2008 - August 2008, Student, Space 100/SBIRS Mission Course, 533 TRS, Vandenberg SFB, CA August 2008 - June 2010, SBIRS Mission Crew Chief, 2 SWS, Buckley SFB, CO June 2010 - January 2012, NCOIC Operations Integration, 460 OSS, Buckley SFB, CO January 2012 - December 2016, NCOIC Training Division (SBIRS GEO), 460 OG, Det 1, Boulder, CO December 2016 – June 2021, Space 200 Instructor, NSSI, Peterson SFB, CO December 2016 – June 2018, Space 200 Flight Chief, NSSI, Peterson SFB, CO June 2018 – September 2019, Space 300 Flight Chief, NSSI, Peterson AFB, CO September 2019 – November 2020, College of Space Warfare Flight Chief, NSSI, Peterson SFB, CO November 2020 – June 2021, Senior Enlisted Leader, NSSI, Peterson SFB, CO June 2021 – Present, Operations Superintendent, 16 EWS, Peterson SFB, CO Promotions 02 Jul 2002 - Airman First Class (A1C) 02 Nov 2004 - Senior Airman (SrA) 01 Jul 2006 - Staff Sergeant (SSgt) 01 Oct 2013 - Technical Sergeant (TSgt) 01 Jan 2018 - Master Sergeant (MSgt)
Major James E. Webber was born and raised in Leavenworth, Kansas, where he graduated with honors from Leavenworth Senior High School in 1968. After four years in the Air Force ROTC program at Washburn University in Topeka, he graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant as a Minuteman Nuclear Missile Launch Officer at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne Wyoming. Major Webber achieved instructor status in Minuteman I and Minuteman III Missile systems as well as Missile Combat Crew Commander in Minuteman III culminating in the award of the Combat Crew Excellence Award in 1976. This award is earned by only the top 10 percent of the entire missile crew force. After his four year tour in missile operations, Major Webber transitioned into the relatively unknown career field of Space Systems Operations. For the next 16 years, Major Webber became a pioneer in the development, testing, and operational training of large phased array strategic warning radar systems. In 1981, Major Webber earned the 15th Air Force, Space Operator of the Year Award for sustained superior performance and was in the initial cadre of personnel who formed Air Force Space Command. He earned a Master of Arts Degree in Space Systems Management from Webster University and taught courses in Natural Science and the Fundamentals of Space Flight as an adjunct professor for the University of Alaska, Pikes Peak Community College, and Webster University. Major Webber and his wife of 51 years, Suzy, raised two wonderful sons, Trey and Taran.
Col John Cornett is Deputy Director, Inspections Directorate and Inspection Team Chief, The Inspection Agency, Department of the Air Force. The Inspections Directorate provides inspections and reporting for Department-level Field Operating Agencies, Direct Reporting Units, oversight inspections of Major Commands, and special inspections as directed by The Inspector General and Secretary of the Air Force. Col Cornett received his commission following graduation from the University of Kentucky in 2000. He has operational experience in nuclear and conventional operations in the continental United States, at Andersen AFB, Guam as part of the Continuous Bomber Presence, Diego Garcia in Operation Enduring Freedom, and at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar supporting the fight against ISIS and other terrorist networks. Col Cornett has served in a variety of assignments as a B-52H instructor electronic warfare officer and weapons officer at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana and Minot AFB, North Dakota. He held a staff assignment at Joint Chief of Staff J-33 in the Pentagon as a Presidential Strike Advisor and Bomber Planner. Additionally, he served as the Director of Operations for the 69th Bomb Squadron, where he led a successful deployment to Al Udeid, which was followed by commanding the 5th Operations Support Squadorn in Minot AFB.