Colonel William McKibban

Colonel McKibban is the Commander, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. As commander, he is responsible for ensuring the wing is ready to defend Osan Air Base, execute combat operations, and sustain follow-on forces. He is entrusted with the operational readiness, training, morale, welfare, installation support, and quality of life of more than 5,500 active duty personnel assigned to the 51st Fighter Wing, Headquarters Seventh Air Force, and other U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps units. Additionally, Colonel McKibban serves as the United States Forces Korea Area Five Commander.

Colonel McKibban is a native of Riverside, California and received his commission in 2000 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served in a variety of operational and training assignments in the F-16, and as Deputy Military Advisor at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Squadron Officers School, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, and the Blue Horizons program at Air University’s Center for Strategy and Technology. Prior to assuming his current position, Colonel McKibban served as Vice Commander, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Operations Research, Mathematics minor, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO
2006 Squadron Officers School, in residence, Maxwell AFB, AL
2008 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle University, Luke AFB, AZ
2008 USAF F-16 Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, NV
2011 Air Command and Staff College, in correspondence, Maxwell AFB, AL
2014 Marine Corps Command and Staff College, in residence, MCB Quantico, VA
2014 Master of Military Studies, Marine Corps University, MCB Quantico, VA
2019 CSAF SDE Fellow, Blue Horizons, Center for Strategy & Technology, Maxwell AFB, AL
2019 Master of Airpower Strategy & Technology Integration, Blue Horizons, Maxwell AFB, AL
2022 Leading Strategically Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, CO
2023 JPME II, Joint & Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2000 - December 2001, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, MS
2. January 2002 - September 2002, Student, F-16 Formal Training Unit, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ
3. October 2002 - April 2005, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Chief of Mobility, 522nd Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
4. May 2005 - June 2008, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, 61st Fighter Squadron, Division Chief, 56th Training Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ
5. July 2008 - December 2008, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, NV
6. January 2009 - February 2010, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 80th Fighter Squadron and 8th Operations Support Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
7. March 2010 - February 2012, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, 16th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
8. March 2012 - June 2013, Director of Operations, 57th Operations Support Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
9. July 2013 - June 2014, Student, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, MCB Quantico, VA
10. July 2014 - June 2016, Commander, 309th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ
11. June 2016 - June 2018, Military Advisor, Global Policy and Partnerships, Joint Staff (J5), U.S. Mission to the United Nations, New York, NY
12. July 2018 - June 2019, CSAF SDE Fellow, Blue Horizons, Center for Strategy and Technology, Maxwell AFB, AL
13. July 2019 – June 2021, Chief of Staff, Contingency Planner, Directorate for Plans, Policy, Strategy, and Capabilities (J5/8),Headquarters U.S. European Command, USAG Stuttgart, Germany
14. June 2021– June 2023, Vice Commander, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
15. June 2023 - Present, Commander, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan AB, Republic of Korea

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2016 - June 2018, Military Advisor, Global Policy and Partnerships, Joint Staff (J5), U.S. Mission to the United Nations, New York, NY, as a lieutenant colonel
2. July 2019 – June 2021, Chief of Staff, Contingency Planner, Directorate for Plans, Policy, Strategy, and Capabilities (J5/8),Headquarters U.S. European Command, USAG Stuttgart, Germany, as a colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot Flight hours: More than 2,500
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, F-16, A-10

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 31, 2000
First Lieutenant, May 31, 2002
Captain, May 31, 2004
Major, January 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel, February 1, 2015
Colonel, January 1, 2021

(Current as of February 2024)