Colonel YESUN YOON

Colonel Yesun "HEMI" Yoon is a Distinguished Graduate of The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy at the National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. The Eisenhower School educates joint warfighters and national security leaders in the strategic integration of national security, economic policy, and resource management.

Previously, Colonel Yoon served as the Executive Officer to the Commander, Headquarters Seventh Air Force, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Seventh Air Force’s mission is to organize, train, and equip warfighting forces supporting the Combined Forces Air Component Command and to perform missions supporting the United Nations Command armistice maintenance in the defense of the Republic of Korea.

Colonel Yoon is an Indo-Pacific Foreign Area Officer with expertise in Northeast Asia and previously served as the Air Force Liaison Officer to the Republic of Korea Air Force Operations Command at Osan Air Base, strengthening bilateral and combined air operations. She has held financial management and resource strategy positions across the Air Force, including assignments at United States Air Forces in Europe – United States Air Forces Africa, United States Forces Korea, and the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. Her experience spans operational comptroller leadership, coalition advising in Iraq, and enterprise-level cost analysis and programming, culminating as Chief, Budget Operations Branch at Ramstein Air Base, where she oversaw a $1.6 billion annual appropriation.

Colonel Yoon began her military career in the U.S. Army in 1996 as an Automated Logistical Specialist and achieved the rank of Sergeant before receiving an Honorable Discharge in 2000. She received her commission in 2004 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of New Mexico.

Colonel Yoon is a certified Foreign Area Officer specializing in the Northeast Asia region and holds DoD Financial Management Level II and Acquisition Professional Development Program Level II certifications.

Colonel Yoon and her husband, Ilhwa Park, have one child, Noah.

EDUCATION

2004 Bachelor of Arts in Accounting, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM.

2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL.

2006 Basic Financial Management Officer Course, Keesler Air Force Base, AL

2007 Financial Management Staff Officer Course, Keesler Air Force Base, AL

2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL

2011 Master's, Business Administration and Management, American Military University

2014 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence

2017 Master of Arts in Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA

2021 Air War College, by correspondence

2025 The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Washington, D.C. (Distinguished Graduate)

ASSIGNMENTS

1. July 2004 – July 2006, FINANCIAL MANAGER, F-16 System Group, Aeronautical Systems   Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH
2. July 2006 – June 2007, EXECUTIVE OFFICER to Director of Financial Management, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH
3. June 2007 – July 2008, DEPUTY FINANCIAL ANALYSIS FLIGHT COMMANDER, 51^st Comptroller Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
4. July 2008 – May 2009, FINANCIAL ANALYSIS FLIGHT COMMANDER, 51^st Comptroller Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea
5. May 2009 – May 2010, FINANCE AND ACQUISITION ADVISOR to HQ Iraqi Air Force, 321^st Air Expeditionary Wing, Baghdad, Iraq
6. May 2010 – November 2012, COMMAND BUDGET ANALYST for Financial Management Directorate, HQ U.S. Air Force in Europe, Ramstein, Germany
7. November 2012 – November 2013, CHIEF OF BUDGET FORMULATION BRANCH, Forces, Resources and Assessment Directorate (J8), United States Forces Korea, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, Republic of Korea
8. November 2013 – November 2014, SENIOR WEAPON SYSTEM COST ANALYST, Cost Analysis Directorate, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cost and Economics (SAF/FMC), HQ Air Force, Pentagon, Washington DC.
9. November 2014 – November 2016, CHIEF OF POM INTEGRATION BRANCH, Cost Analysis Directorate, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cost and Economics (SAF/FMC), HQ Air Force, Pentagon, Washington DC.
10. November 2015 – July 17, STUDENT, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA
11. July 2017 – June 2019, COMMANDER, 72d Comptroller Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK
12. June 2019 – May 2021, AIR FORCE LIASION OFFICER to the Republic of Korea Air Force Operations Command, Seventh Air Force, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
13. May 2021 – May 2023, CHIEF OF BUDGET OPERATIONS BRANCH, HQ U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Africa, Germany
14. May 2023 – Jul 2025, EXECUTIVE OFFICER to the Commander, Seventh Air Force, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
15. Jul 2025 – Jul 2026, STUDENT, The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Washington D.C.
16. Jul 2026 – Present, Commander, 51st Mission Support Group, Osan AB, Republic of Korea

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1. November 2012 – November 2013, CHIEF OF BUDGET FORMULATION BRANCH, Forces, Resources and Assessment Directorate (J8), United States Forces Korea, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, Republic of Korea

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Legion of Merit

Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters 

Army Commendation Medal

Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant, May 15, 2004

First Lieutenant, May 15, 2006

Captain, May 15, 2008

Major, December 01, 2014

Lieutenant Colonel, June 01, 2019

Colonel, May 01, 2025

(Current as of July 2026)