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Colonel COLONEL SETH W. SPANIER

Col. Seth W. Spanier is the vice commander of the 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. He serves as the second in command of the largest B-1 combat wing in the U.S Air Force, with more than 7,740 military members, civilian employees and family members.

Colonel Spanier received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 2002. He completed Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, in 2004 prior to attending the B-1B Formal Training Unit (FTU) at Dyess AFB, Texas. Following the FTU, he served as a mobility officer, squadron tactics officer, and flight commander for the 37th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. Upon completion of the USAF Weapons School in 2009, he was reassigned to Ellsworth where he served as chief of squadron weapons and tactics at the 37th BS. Colonel Spanier was an instructor and assistant director of operations at the 77th Weapons Squadron, B-1 Weapons School at Dyess from 2011 through 2013.

Colonel Spanier graduated from National Intelligence University at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C., prior to completing a staff assignment at Headquarters Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) where he was assigned as the Chief of Bomber Operations and Deputy Chief, Operations Force Management Branch, in the PACAF A3/6 (Operations) Directorate. Following his staff assignment, he commanded the 34th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth, one of three operational B-1 squadrons. Following his term as squadron commander, Colonel Spanier served as the 28th Operations Group deputy commander prior to attending the U.S. Air Force Air War College at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, where he graduated with Highest Academic Distinction and was awarded the Maj. Gen. Carpenter Award for outstanding research in the field of strategic deterrence and future bomber operations. Following Air War College, he completed a joint assignment at Headquarters United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska where he served as a Current Operations Branch Chief, focused on Bomber Task Force operations, Missile Defense, and Nuclear Command and Control. Additionally, Col. Spanier served as the Senior Executive Officer for the United States Strategic Command Director of Global Operations (J3).

Colonel Spanier is a command pilot and weapons officer with more than 2,750 hours in the B-1, including 1,200 combat hours. He has completed five deployments in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn, and Continuous Bomber Presence operations in the Pacific

EDUCATION

2002    Bachelor of Science Degree in Management, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2008    Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009    U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev. (Distinguished Graduate)
2011    Masters in Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Fla.
2014    Masters in Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
2019    Masters in Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS

1.  August 2002 - March 2004, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2.  March 2004 - November 2004, Student, B-1 Formal Training Unit, 28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
3.  November 2004 - December 2007, B-1 Pilot, Mobility Officer, 37th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
4.  December 2007 - July 2008, B-1 Aircraft Commander, Squadron Tactics Officer, 37th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
5.  July 2008 - October 2008, B-1 Aircraft Commander, Flight Commander, 37th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
6.  October 2008 - December 2009, B-1 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, 37th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
7.  December 2009 - September 2011, Chief Weapons and Tactics, B-1 Instructor Pilot, 37th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
8.  September 2011 - April 2013, Flight Commander, Weapons School Instructor, 77th Weapons Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
9.  April 2013 - August 2013, Assistant Director of Operations, Weapons School Instructor, 77th Weapons Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
10.  August 2013 - August 2014, Student, National Intelligence University, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
11.  August 2014 - June 2015, Chief of Bomber Operations, PACAF A3/6, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
12.  July 2015 - May 2016, Deputy Chief, Operations Force Management Branch, PACAF A3/6, JBPH-H, Hawaii
13.  June 2016 - February 2018, Commander, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
14.  February 2018 - July 2018, Deputy Commander, 28th Operations Group, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
15.  July 2018 - June 2019, Senior Developmental Education Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
16.  July 2019 - June 2020, Current Operations Branch Chief (J333), Headquarters U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
17.  June 2020 - May 2021, Senior Executive Officer to Director of Global Ops, HQ USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.
18.  May 2021 - May 2022, Chief, Strategy Division, 612 Air Operations Center (Air Forces Southern), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
19.  June 2022 - Present, Vice Commander, 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1.  July 2019 - May 2021, Current Operations Branch Chief (J333) and Senior Executive Officer to Director of Global Operations, HQ USSTRATCOM, Offutt AFB, Neb.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating:  Command pilot
Flight hours:  2,900
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, and B-1B

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Maj. Gen. Carpenter Award for outstanding research in the field of strategic deterrence and future bomber operations - 2019
Distinguished Graduate and Academic Award, USAF Weapon School Class 09B.
General Curtis E. LeMay Air Combat Crew Award - 2007

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant      May 29, 2002
First Lieutenant           May 29, 2004
Captain                       May 29, 2006
Major                           April 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel      Jan. 1, 2016
Colonel                        June 1, 2021

(Current as of May 2022)

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