Colonel Kenneth B. Beebe III 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 permanently assigned F-16 AND 24 A-10 fighter jet aircrafts 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 Beebe enlisted in 1990 as an F-16 Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Technician. Following various assignments as a crew chief and instructor,he received his commission through Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama in 2002 and has served as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer on C-5A/B, HC130H, A-10C, F-16CM/DM, MQ-1B/9A, EC-130H, T-38A and F-22 aircraft. He has held numerous positions at the field level, on MAJCOM Staff, and 4 squadron commands. Most recently, he served as the Deputy Commander, 325th Fighter Wing, Eglin AFB, Florida.
In addition, Colonel Beebe has multiple deployments supporting humanitarian and combat operations at Aviano AB, Italy, Incirlik AB, Turkey, Balad/Al Asad AB, Iraq, Ali
Al Salem AB, Kuwait, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia and Al Udeid AB, Qatar.
EDUCATION
1998 - Associate Degree, Aircraft Maint Technology, Comm College of the Air Force
2001 - Associate Degree, Inst of Tech & Military Science, Comm College of the Air Force
2001 - Associate Degree, Business Administration, Wayland Baptist University
2001 - Bachelor's Degree, Business Administration, Wayland Baptist University
2002 - Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2003 - Air & Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 - Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2012 - Air Command & Staff College, Correspondence
2014 - Master's Degree, Business Administration, Wayland Baptist University
2021 - Air War College, Correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1990 – April 1990, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, TX
2. April 1990 – June 1990, Student, Aircraft Systems Maintenance Technician Course, Sheppard AFB, TX
3. July 1990 – December 1992, F-16 Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Technician, 63rd Fighter Squadron, MacDill AFB, FL
4. January 1993 – January 1994, Aircraft Phased Inspection Journeyman, 35th FS, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea
5. February 1994 – April 1997, Wheel & Tire Craftsman, 347th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Moody AFB, GA
6. January 1994 – April 1999, F-16 Maintenance Instructor, 347th Logistics Support Squadron, Moody AFB, GA
7. April 1999 – August 2002, F-16 Mission Ready Airman Instructor, 362nd Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, TX
8. August 2002 – November 2002, Student, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL
9. November 2002 – January 2003, Student, Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, TX
10. February 2003 – May 2004, Asst Aircraft Maintenance Unit OIC, 436th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Dover AFB, DE
11. May 2004 – February 2006, Maintenance Flight Commander, 436th Maintenance Squadron, Dover AFB, DE
12. February 2006 – February 2009, UAS/F-16 Weapons System Manager, ANG Readiness Center, Andrews AFB, MD
13. February 2009 – March 2010, 79th AMU OIC, 563rd MXS, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
(August 2009 – March 2010, OIC Mobile Redistribution Team 3, Task Force 586, Balad AB, Iraq)
14. March 2010 – May 2011, 358th AMU OIC, 355th AMXS, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
15. May 2011 – August 2011, Maintenance Operations Officer, 355th EMS, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
16. August 2011 – August 2013, Maintenance Operations Officer, 355th AMXS, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
(April 2012 – October 2012, Maintenance Operations Officer, 386th EMXS, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
17. September 2013 – March 2015, Deputy Course Director, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
18. April 2015 – May 2016, Commander, 54th MXS, Holloman AFB NM
19. May 2016 – April 2018, Commander, 54th AMXS, Holloman AFB NM
(May 2018 – May 2019, Commander, 386th EAMXS, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
20. June 2019 – June 2020, Commander, 1st AMXS, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
21. June 2020 – February 2021, Deputy Commander of Maintenance, 1st Operations Group, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA
22. February 2021 – May 2022, Deputy Commander, 1st Maintenance Group, JB Langley-Eustis, VA
23. May 2022 – June 2024, Deputy Commander, 325th MXG, Eglin AFB, FL
(May 2023 – October 2023, Director, A4 Logistics and Maintenance Directorate, 378th AEW, Prince Sultan AB, KSA)
(October 2023 – February 2024, Deputy Commander, Task Force 99, Air Forces Central, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
24. June 2024 - Present, Commander, 51st Maintenance Group, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant November 8, 2002
First Lieutenant November 8, 2004
Captain November 8, 2006
Major November 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel August 1, 2017
Colonel March 1, 2024
(Current as of June 24)