Colonel Russell D. Driggers is the Commander, 80th Flying Training Wing at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. Also known as the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, the Wing is the world’s only internationally manned and managed undergraduate pilot training program and includes participants from 14 NATO nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Colonel Driggers commissioned in May 1995 as a distinguished graduate from the United States Air Force Academy. He has served in a variety of positions at the squadron, group, wing and major command levels. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army School of Advanced Military Studies, a distinguished graduate of the National War College, and served as Commander, 560th Flying Training Squadron at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, and Vice Commander, 501st Combat Support Wing, Royal Air Force Alconbury, United Kingdom.
Colonel Driggers is a command pilot with more than 2,100 flying hours, including 205 combat hours, in the F-15C/D Eagle and T-38A/C Talon. His combat experience includes Operation Allied Force and Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn. Prior to his current position, he served as Senior Military Advisor in the United States Mission to NATO, Brussels, Belgium. In this capacity, Colonel Driggers served as the ranking uniformed member in the Mission and advised the Defense Advisor, dual-hatted as the Secretary of Defense’s Senior Civilian Representative in Europe, on all military plans, operations, posture, policy, and administration matters.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, Political Science, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
1996 Master of Arts, Political Science, Texas A&M University, Texas
2007 U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2008 Master of Arts, U.S. Army Advanced Military Studies Program, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2012 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Master of Science, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1996 - January 1998, student, undergraduate pilot training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.
2. January 1998 - July 1998, student, F-15C Qualification Course, 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
3. July 1998 - January 2001, F-15C pilot, 493rd FS, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom
4. February 1999 – May 1999, F-15C pilot, 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Cervia Air Base, Italy
5. January 2001 - March 2004, F-15C evaluator, flight commander, 95th FS, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
6. April 2004 - December 2006, T-38A/C instructor, assistant Operations Officer, 90th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
7. January 2007 - December 2007, Command & General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. January 2008 - January 2009, Advanced Military Studies Program, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
9. February 2009 - February 2011, Chief Strategy & Doctrine, Headquarters USAFE, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
10. September 2009 – March 2010, 10th Air Force Air Advisor, 321st Air Expeditionary Wing, Camp Victory, Iraq
11. March 2011 - May 2013, Commander, 560th FTS, Randolph AFB, Texas
12. June 2013 – June 2014, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
13. July 2014 – June 2015, Vice Commander, 501st Combat Support Wing, RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom
14. July 2015 – July 2018, Senior Military Advisor, U.S. Mission to NATO, Brussels, Belgium
15. August 2018 – present, Commander, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 2,153
Aircraft flown: F-15C/D, T-38A/C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1995 Distinguished Graduate, United States Air Force Academy
1997 Distinguished Graduate and AETC Commander’s Trophy, undergraduate pilot training
1998 Distinguished Graduate, introduction to fighter fundamentals
1998 Distinguished Graduate, F-15C upgrade training
2001 Commandant’s Trophy, Squadron Officer School
2008 Top Monograph, Advanced Military Studies Program
2010 Field Grade Officer of the Year, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe
2014 Distinguished Graduate, National War College
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1995
First Lieutenant May 31, 1997
Captain May 31, 1999
Major July 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel February 1, 2010
Colonel October 1, 2014
(Current as of August 2018)