Colonel Keaton B. Askew is the Deputy Commander of the 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. In this capacity, he assists the wing commander in leading more than 4,300 personnel and managing an annual budget exceeding $249 million. The wing provides installation support to Headquarters U.S. Central Command, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, and 42 other joint mission partners.
Colonel Askew is a 2006 magna cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program as a member of the Corps of Cadets. His key staff assignments include serving as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, 18th Air Force, at Scott AFB, Ill., and as the Military Assistant to the Executive Secretary in the Immediate Office of the Secretary of War at the Pentagon. Prior to his current position, Colonel Askew served as the Director of the Air Education and Training Command Pentagon Liaison Office and Dean of the Air Force Fellows Program in the Pentagon.
Colonel Askew is a command pilot with more than 3,200 flight hours, primarily in the C-17A Globemaster III and the T-1A Jayhawk. He has extensive operational and deployment experience, including operations in support of the Iraqi Campaign. His operational leadership assignments include serving as the Wing Chief of Safety at Travis AFB, Calif., and commanding the 97th Operations Support Squadron at Altus AFB, Okla.
EDUCATION
2006 Bachelor of Science in Leadership and Communication, magna cum laude, Texas A&M University, College Station
2007 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Business Administration in Strategic Leadership, Trident University International, Chandler, Calif.
2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2007–September 2007, Assistant Executive Officer, 559th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2. October 2007–October 2008, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. November 2008–June 2012, T-1 Instructor Pilot, Chief Flight Scheduler, Wing Executive Officer, and Flight Commander, 86th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas
4. November 2012–February 2014, C-17 Mission Pilot and Readiness Flight Commander, 15th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
5. March 2014–February 2015, C-17 Aircraft Commander and Assistant Director of Operations, 437th Operations Support Squadron, JB Charleston, S.C.
6. March 2015–July 2015, C-17 Instructor Aircraft Commander and Deputy Chief, Commander's Action Group, 437th Airlift Wing, JB Charleston, S.C.
7. August 2015–June 2017, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. July 2017–July 2018, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. August 2018–June 2020, Chief of Safety, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
10. July 2020–May 2022, Commander, 97th Operations Support Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
11. June 2022–June 2023, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. July 2023–June 2025, Military Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Immediate Office of the Secretary of War, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2025–June 2026, Director, Air Education and Training Command Pentagon Liaison Office, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
14. June 2026–Present, Deputy Commander, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2023–June 2025, Military Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Immediate Office of the Secretary of War, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,200
Aircraft flown: C-172, T-6A, T-1A, C-208, C-17A and KC-135R/T
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec. 25, 2006
First Lieutenant Dec. 25, 2008
Captain Dec. 25, 2010
Major Dec. 1, 2016
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 1, 2019
Colonel March 1, 2025
(Current as of June 2026)