Colonel MATTHEW W. MCDANIEL

Colonel Matthew W. McDaniel is the commander, 2d Operations Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. In this position, he leads Air Force Global Strike Command’s largest bomb group, with 28 B-52 aircraft, a team of 560 Airmen and civilian employees, and an annual budget of 81.5 million dollars. His primary responsibility is organizing, training, and equipping the world’s premier warfighters to provide “on call” global combat power and nuclear deterrence options for the Nation’s defense.

Colonel McDaniel received his commission in 1998 through the United States Air Force Academy, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Military History. After completing pilot training in 1999, he served as a B-52 Pilot, B-52 Aircraft Commander, 5th BW Flight Safety Officer, and 5th BW Acting Chief of Safety at Minot AFB, N.D. Upon transfer to Barksdale AFB, La., Colonel McDaniel served as a B-52 Instructor Pilot, Training Flight Commander, B-52 Weapons Officer, Chief of Weapons and Tactics and Formal Training Unit Instructor Pilot. In 2008, he transferred to United States Pacific Command and acted as Executive Officer to both the Director of Manpower, Personnel and Administration (J1) and to the Chief of Staff. Following his joint assignment, he attended the Army Command and General Staff College prior to rejoining the B-52 community.

In 2011, Colonel McDaniel returned to Minot AFB and served as the Assistant Director of Operations/Acting Director of Operations for the 69th Bomb Squadron, Director of Operations for the 5th Operations Support Squadron, Commander of the 69th Bomb Squadron, and as Acting 5th Operations Group Commander and Deputy Commander. He transitioned to Barksdale and the AFGSC staff in July 2015. Upon completion of his staff tour, he attended Air War College prior to transferring to the Pentagon where  he served as the Deputy Chief, Policy Division, Strategic Deterrence & Nuclear Integration Directorate. Prior to his current position, Col. McDaniel was the Commander of the Standoff Munitions Application Center, Barksdale AFB, La.

EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science in Military History, United States Air Force Academy 2003 Air Force Flight Safety Officer Course
2003 ACC Flight Safety Program Management Course
2003 Squadron Officer School (Non-Residence)
2004 Squadron Officer School (Residence)
2006 U.S. Air Force Weapons School
2007 Masters Degree in Military Arts and Sciences – Civil War Studies, American Military University
2007 Air Command and Staff College (Non-Residence)
2008 Joint Forces Command Staff College – JPME Phase II
2011 Army Command and General Staff College
2013 Air War College (Non-Residence)
2017 Masters Degree in Military Arts and Sciences – Air War College
2018 Nuclear Weapon Effects, Policy, and Proliferation Certificate – Air Force Institute of Technology

ASSIGNMENTS

  1. May 1998 - October 1999, student, Undergraduate Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
  2. February 2000 - September 2000, student, B-52 Formal Training Unit, Barksdale AFB, La.
  3. September 2000 - November 2002, B-52H pilot, 23d Bomb Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
  4. November 2002 - August 2003, B-52H aircraft commander, 23d Bomb Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
  5. August 2003 - October 2004, Wing Flight Safety Officer/B-52H aircraft commander, 23d Bomb Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
  6. March 2005 - July 2005, B-52H Instructor Pilot, 96th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
  7. July 2004 - January 2006, Training Flight Commander/B-52H Instructor Pilot, 96th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
  8. January 2006 - July 2007, B-52H Weapons Instructor/Instructor Pilot, 96th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
  9. July 2007 - April 2008, Chief Weapons and Tactics/B-52 Instructor Pilot, 11th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, La.
  10. June 2008 - June 2009, Executive Officer, Directorate of Manpower, Personnel, and Administration (J1), Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
  11. June 2009 - June 2010, Executive Officer/Aide de Camp, USPACOM Chief of Staff, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
  12. July 2010 - June 2011, student, Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
  13. July 2011 - October 2012, Assistant Director of Operations/Acting Director of Operations, 69th Bomb Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
  14. October 2012 - June 2013, Director of Operations, 5th Operations Support Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
  15. June 2013 - April 2015, Commander, 69th Bomb Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
  16. April 2015 - July 2015, Deputy Commander, 5th Operations Group, Minot AFB, N.D.
  17. July 2015 - July 2016, Director of Applied Capabilities, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
  18. July 2016 - June 2017, student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
  19. June 2017 - July 2019, Deputy Chief, Policy Division, Strategic Deterrence & Nuclear Integration Directorate, the Pentagon, D.C.
  20. July 2019 - June 2020, Commander, Standoff Munitions Application Center, Barksdale AFB, La.
  21. July 2020 - Present, Commander, 2d Operations Group, Barksdale AFB, La.

 

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating:                           Command Pilot
Flight Hours:                  Over 3,000
Combat Hours:               Over 300 Aircraft Flown:   B-52H, T-38, T-1, T-37

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters Air Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal

(Current as of July 2020)