Col. Christopher P. Mulder is the Commander, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas. The wing consists of more than 1,300 military, civilian and contract personnel, and has over 200 military aircraft. Col. Mulder leads the execution of 55,000 sorties and 66,000 hours annually for the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT) program. ENJJPT is the world’s only internationally manned and managed undergraduate pilot training program, in which 14 NATO nations participate: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. In addition to undergraduate pilot training, the wing also hosts Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals and pilot instructor training.
Col. Mulder graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2001, earning a Bachelor of Science in Management. He instructed in the T-6 as a First Assignment Instructor Pilot and served as a mission commander, evaluator and instructor in the F-16. He is a command pilot with more than 2,800 hours in the F-16 and T-6, including 270 combat hours. Col. Mulder has held various squadron positions at Moody AFB, Osan AB, Shaw AFB and Spangdahlem AB. He led missions in both Operation Odyssey Dawn and Operation New Dawn in support of national security objectives as part of the 480th FS. He also served as Aide-de-Camp to the United States Air Forces in Europe-Africa commander. Col Mulder planned and executed 200+ strategic events, traveling to 29 countries in Europe, Africa, and Israel, entailing high-level meetings, academic and think tank round tables, and industry engagements. He was the Director of Air Force International Programs at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency at the Pentagon. Prior to his current assignment, he was Deputy Commander of the 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science degree in Management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2005 Master of Business Administration, Webster University
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, (Correspondence)
2015 Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Forces Staff College, Virginia (Residence)
2016 Air War College (Correspondence)
2016 China, Middle East, and South Asia Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, DC
2020 Jewish Institute for National Security of America Military Leaders Program
2020 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, DC
2021 Air Force Fellow, Atlantic Council of the United States, Washington, DC
2021 Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program Scholar, Bush Center, Dallas, TX
2025 Leading Data and AI-Enabled Organizations for Executive Leaders, John Hopkins University
2025 Africa Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, DC
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2001 - July 2002, Student, T-6 undergraduate pilot training, Moody Air Force Base, GA.
2. July 2002 - January 2003, Student, T-38 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, MS.
3. February 2003 - April 2006, T-6 Instructor Pilot; Assistant Training Flight Commander, 3rd Flying Training Squadron, Moody AFB, GA.
4. April 2006 - August 2006, Student, T-38 IFF, 435th Flying Training Squadron, Moody AFB, GA.
5. August 2006 – May 2007, Student, F-16 RTU, 182nd Flying Training Squadron, Kelly AFB, TX.
6. June 2007 - June 2008, Assistant Stan and Eval Chief, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
7. June 2008 – March 2011, Assistant Director of Operations, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, SC.
8. March 2011 - December 2011, ADO, 480th Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
9. December 2011 – July 2012, Chief, F-16 Stan and Eval, 52d Operations Group, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
10. July 2012 – July 2013, Wing Executive Officer, 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany.
11. July 2013 – June 2015, Aide-De-Camp to the Commander, USAFE and Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
12. July 2015 – April 2016, Chief, Air and Space Branch, Joint Requirements Assessment Division, Joint Staff J-8, The Pentagon, Washington D.C.
13. April 2016 – June 2017, Executive Assistant, Deputy Director for Requirements, Joint Staff J-8, The Pentagon, Washington D.C.
14. July 2017 – July 2018, Director of Operations, T-6 IP, 459th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, TX.
15. July 2018 – May 2020, Commander, 80th Operations Support Squadron, Sheppard AFB, TX.
16. May 2020 – June 2020, Deputy Commander, 80th Operations Group, Sheppard AFB, TX.
17. July 2020 – June 2021, Air Force Fellow, Atlantic Council, Washington, DC.
18. June 2021 – June 2022, Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness, Office of the Secretary of Defense, The Pentagon, Washington D.C.
19. July 2022 – May 2025, Director, Air Force International Programs, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, The Pentagon, Washington D.C.
20. June 2025 – June 2026, Deputy Commander, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, South Korea
21. June 2026 – Present, Commander, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, TX.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000, including 270 combat hours
Aircraft flown: F-16, T-38, T-6
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Iraq Campaign Medal
Non-Article 5 NATO medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2001
First Lieutenant May 30, 2003
Captain May 30, 2005
Major April 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2016
Colonel May 1, 2022
(Current as of June 2026)