Colonel Todd A. Wydra is the commander, 51st Maintenance Group, 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. He is responsible for daily flying and maintenance operations, intermediate level maintenance, component repair, and maintenance training for a combat wing with 27 F-16 and 24 A-10 fighter jet aircraft worth 1.6 billion dollars. He controls and allocates resources, directs the activities of 1,400 personnel and develops and implements plans to meet the wing’s operational tasking.
Colonel Wydra began his career in 1991 by enlisting in the New Mexico Air National Guard as a Fuel System Mechanic. In 1996, he entered the active duty Air Force as a distinguished graduate from the University of New Mexico’s AFROTC. He has served in five major commands, performing aircraft maintenance management for F-16C/CJ, KC-135, F-15C/E, C-130J aircraft, and HH-60 helicopters. He completed a staff tour at Headquarters Air Combat Command as the Chief of Sustainment for the F-117 Stealth Fighter. He has commanded two squadrons, the 35th Maintenance Squadron and the 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and served as a deputy group commander for both the 982d Training Group and the 515th Air Mobility Operations Group. Colonel Wydra has commanded two maintenance groups, the 374th Maintenance Group, Yokota Air Base, Japan, and most recently the 8th Maintenance Group, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
EDUCATION
1996 - Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
1997 - Aircraft Maintenance Officers Course, Sheppard AFB, TX.
1999 - Masters of Business Administration Degree, Western International University, Phoenix, AZ
2001 - Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2006 - Air Command and Staff College (correspondence)
2009 - Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2009 - Master’s Degree in Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2014 - Air War College (correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jul 1996 – Feb 1997, Aerospace Ground Equipment Flt Commander, 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ
2. Jun 1997 – Jan 1998, Accessories Flt Commander, 56th Component Repair Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ
3. Feb 1998 – Jul 1999, Sortie Support Flt Commander then Sortie Generation Flt Commander, 62nd Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ
4. Sep 1999 – May 2001, Sortie Support Flt Commander then Sortie Generation Flt Commander, 909th Air Refueling Squadron, Kadena AB, Okinawa Japan
5. Jul 2001 –Jul 2002, Sortie Generation Flt Commander, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
6. Jul 2002 – May 2004, T-38 Functional Manager, Program Management Squadron, HQ Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA
7. May 2004 – June 2005, F-117A Chief of Sustainment, ACC Maintenance & Logistics Directorate, HQ Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA
8. Jul 2005 – Jul 2008, Maintenance Operations Officer, 48th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, then Maintenance Operations Officer, 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Royal AF Lakenheath, UK
9. Aug 2008 – Jun 2009, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
10. Jun 2009 – Jun 2011, Commander, 35th Maintenance Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
11. Jun 2011 – Jul 2012, Commander, 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
12. Jul 2012 – Feb 2013, Director, Maintenance Course for Operational Commanders, 82d Training Group, Sheppard AFB, TX
13. Mar 2013 – Jul 2016, Deputy Group Commander, 982nd Training Group, Sheppard AFB, TX
14. Jul 2016 – May 2018, Deputy Group Commander, 515th Air Mobility Operations Group, Yokota AB, Japan
15. May 2018 – May 2021, Commander, 374th Maintenance Group, Yokota AB, Japan
16. June 2021 – June 2022, Commander, 8th Maintenance Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea 17. June 2022 – Present, Commander, 51st Maintenance Group, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal with one device
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant - 11 May, 1996
First Lieutenant - 6 June, 1998
Captain - 6 June, 2000
Major - 1 June, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel - 1 September, 2011
Colonel - 1 November, 2017
(Current as of June 22)