Colonel Bernabe F. Whitfield is Commander of the 2d Maintenance Group, Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB), Louisiana. As Commander, Colonel Whitfield oversees maintenance and munitions operations of the Air Force’s largest and most diverse bomb wing. He leads 2,000 Total Force Airmen in three squadrons with 29 assigned B-52H aircraft to ensure devastating global strike capability. During his over 36 years of service, Col Whitfield served as the Commander of the 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group, Cannon AFB, New Mexico, and served as Deputy Group Commander, and as Squadron Commander on multiple occasions. To include the 16th Expeditionary Special Operations Maintenance Squadron at Ali AL Salem, the 716th Maintenance Squadron at Duke Field until its’ closure, and the 27th Expeditionary Special Operations Maintenance Squadron in Afghanistan, and three other garrison squadrons under the 27th and 58th Special Operations Wing. Col Whitfield has deployed to support Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, as well as Keflavik NAS in of support the Icelandic Defense Force on AEF 6 against near peer threats. He has been an aircraft maintenance officer on F-15C/D, MC-130E, MH-53M/J, HH-60G, CV-22, MC-130H/J, HC-130P/N, HC-130H, AC-130U, AC-130H, AC-130W, AC-130J, MC-130P, EC-130E, C-130H/J, C-12J, and UH-1N aircraft. He has worked with coalition and joint forces, and served on two joint assignments.
Col Whitfield was born 5 January 1966, Fort O’rd, Monterey, California. He graduated from Casa Grande High School, California in 1984, and enlisted in the Air Force June 25, 1987 and served in two diverse career fields. He received his commission through Officer Training School November 13, 1998 and is a 2004 graduate of the Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer School, Nellis AFB, Nevada, and a 2018 graduate of the Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Norfolk NAS, Virginia.
Col Whitfield is married to Christine (retired School Teacher) and has four children: Dalton (Former USA, 10th Mountain Division – IT Specialist at DSCA), Shianne (Administrator/School Teacher), Conor (Design Engineer at Austal USA), and Sierra (ERAU May 2023 Graduate – Astrophysicist).
EDUCATION
1990 Noncommissioned Officer Preparatory Course
1993 Airman Leadership School (John L. Levitow Honor Graduate)
1994 A.S., Security Administration, Community College of the Air Force
1994 A.S., Aircraft Systems Maintenance Technology, Community College of the Air Force
1997 Basic Instructor Course
1997 B.S., Workforce, Education & Development, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (Deans List)
1998 Officer Training School (Anna-Oscar Kiefer Award for Esprit dé Corps and Leadership)
1999 Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer Course (Distinguished Graduate)
2000 Aerospace Basic Course (in-Res)
2003 Squadron Officer School (in-Res; SOS Outstanding Contributor Award and SOS Right of Line)
2004 Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer School (with AFCOMAC) (Overall Fitness Award)
2004 M.S., Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (with Distinction)
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Distance Learning
2011 M.A.& S., Air Command and Staff College, in-Res (Outstanding Contributor Award)
2014 Air War College, Distance Learning (Outstanding Graduate)
2018 M.S., Joint Advanced Warfighting School (in-Res)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jun 1987 - Aug 1987, Trainee, 3704th Basic Military Training Squadron, Lackland AFB, TX
2. Aug 1987 - Sep 1987, Student, Security Specialist Technical School, Lackland AFB / Camp Bullis TX
3. Oct 1987 - Sep1991, Custody Agent, 7502nd Munitions Support Squadron, Norvenich AB, GE
4. Oct 1991 - Feb 1992, Student, Apprentice Helicopter Maintenance School, Sheppard AFB, TX
5. Feb 1992 - Apr 1996, MH-60G Crew Chief/Ops Support Flier, 512th Special Operations Sq, Kirtland AFB NM
6. Apr 1996 - Apr 1997, MH-53J Pave Low Dedicated Crew Chief, 31st Special Operations Sq, Osan AB, ROK
7. Apr 1997 - Aug 1998, MH-53 MRT Helicopter Instructor/MTM, 373d Training Sq, Det 16, OL-F, Kirtland AFB NM
8. Aug 1998 - Nov 1998, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL
9. Nov 1998 - Mar 1999, Aircraft Maintenance and Munitions Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, TX
10. Apr 1999 - Jan 2000, Fabrication Flight Commander, 18th Maintenance Squadron, Kadena AB, JP
11. Jan 2000 - May 2000, Propulsion Flight Commander, 18th Maintenance Squadron, Kadena AB, JP
12. May 2000 - Oct 2000, Sortie Support Flight Commander, 67th Fighter Squadron, Kadena AB, JP
13. Oct 2000 - Apr 2002, Assistant Sortie Generation Flight Commander, 67th Fighter Squadron, Kadena AB, JP
14. Apr 2002 - Feb 2003, F-15 Avionics Program Manager, F-15 System Program Office, WR- ALC Robins AFB, GA
15. Feb 2003 - Aug 2003, Branch Chief, F-15 Sys Integration Branch, International Division, WR-ALC Robins AFB, GA
16. Aug 2003 - Jun 2004, Executive Officer, Maintenance Directorate, 402d Wing, WR-ALC Robins AFB, GA
17. Jun 2004 - Apr 2005, Operations Officer, C-130 Production Branch, 402d Maint Group, WR-ALC Robins AFB, GA
18. Apr 2005 - Aug 2006, Operations Officer, 716th Maintenance Squadron, Duke Field, FL
19. Aug 2006 - Jan 2009, Operations Officer, 1st Special Operations Helicopter Maintenance Sq, Hurlburt Field, FL
20. Jan 2009 - Jan 2010, Deputy Course Director, Joint Forces, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
21. Jan 2010 - Jun 2010, Executive Officer, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
22. Jun 2010 - Jun 2011, Student, Air Command and Staff College (First 50)
23. Jun 2011 - Jan 2012, Commander, 27th Special Operations Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
24. Jan 2012 - Jul 2013, Commander, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
25. Aug 2013 - Jun 2016, Commander, 58th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Kirtland AFB, NM
26. Jul 2016 - Jul 2017, Deputy Commander, 374th Maintenance Group, Yokota AB, JP
27. Jul 2017 - Jun 2018, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Norfolk NAS, VA
28. Jul 2018 - Aug 2019, Future Plans Chief, J52 - USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, FL (Joint)
29. Aug 2019 - Jul 2020, Division Chief, J79-3 - Joint Training & Exercises, USSOUTHCOM, Doral, FL (Joint)
30. Jul 2020 - Jun 2022, Commander, 27th Special Operations Maintenance Group, Cannon AFB, NM
31. Jun 2022 - May 2023, Chief, Mobility Aircraft Division, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, IL
32. May 2023 - Present, Commander, 2d Maintenance Group, Barksdale AFB, LA
JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jul 2018 - Aug 2019 United States Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, FL
2. Aug 2019 - Jul 2020 United States Southern Command, Doral, FL
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with One Oak Leaf Cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster
Air and Space Force Meritorious Service Medal with Five Oak Leaf Cluster
Air and Space Force Commendation Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters
Air and Space Force Achievement Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with Device
Air and Space Force Outstanding Unit Award Ribbon with Valor and Three Oak Leaf Clusters
Air and Space Force Good Conduct Medal with Three Oak Leaf Clusters
National Defense Service Medal with Device Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Device
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air and Space Force Overseas Ribbon – Short with Device
Air and Space Force Overseas Ribbon – Long with Device
Air and Space Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and Two Devices
Air and Space Force Longevity Ribbon with 1 Silver/2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
USAF NCO Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon with One Oak Leaf Cluster
Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with One Bronze Star
Air and Space Force Training Ribbon with Device
NATO Medal
(Current as of June 2023)