Col. Kevin H. Eley is the Commander, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. In this capacity, he is responsible for the wing’s worldwide combat air refueling mission and provides installation support to Headquarters U.S. Central Command, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, and 42 other joint mission partners. Additionally, he oversees the security and well-being of the base’s 16,900 employees and their families, along with $2.8 billion in base property and capital assets.
Col. Eley graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a Bachelor of Science degree and earned his commission in 2003 as a distinguished graduate in the Corps of Cadets. He has served as a squadron commander, deputy group commander, and at various staff assignments at the Numbered Air Force and unified command levels. His staff experience includes serving as Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force and Acting Director of Strategy and Senior Air Force Strategic Advisor in the Office of the Secretary of War for Policy. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Eley was the Commander, 89th Operations Group, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
Col. Eley is a command pilot with more than 3,200 flight hours in the C-130E/H, KC-135R/T, and C-37A/B. He has provided strategic airlift and tanker support for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, and to Joint Interagency Task Force South.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science in Business (Military Distinguished Graduate), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Business Administration, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
2013 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2016 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2018 Strategic Policy Fellowship, Air University, Washington, D.C.
2021 Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies (with Distinction), Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2004–November 2005, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas
2. November 2005–September 2010, Instructor Pilot and Chief of Training, 50th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
3. September 2010–March 2012, Evaluator Pilot and Director, Wing Commander's Action Group, 34th Combat Training Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. March 2012–May 2013, Aircraft Commander and Group Executive Officer, 452nd Operations Group, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
5. May 2013–May 2014, Pilot Evaluator, Presidential Advanced Agent, Assistant Director of Operations, and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 912th Air Refueling Squadron, March ARB, Calif.
6. May 2014–August 2015, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, 18th Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. August 2015–July 2017, Distribution Branch Chief, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. August 2017–May 2018, Strategic Policy Fellow, Air University, Washington, D.C.
9. June 2018–September 2018, KC-135 Instructor Pilot Requalification, Altus AFB, Okla.
10. September 2018–January 2020, Commander, 64th Air Refueling Squadron, Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H.
11. January 2020–July 2020, Deputy Group Commander, 157th Air Refueling Group, Pease ANGB, N.H.
12. July 2020–June 2021, Student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
13. June 2021–July 2022, Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. July 2022–July 2023, Joint Doctrine Strategic Planner, Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. July 2023–June 2024, Acting Director and Senior Air Force Strategic Advisor, Office of Strategy, Office of the Secretary of War (Policy), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. June 2024–June 2026, Commander, 89th Operations Group, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
17. June 2026–Present, Commander, 6th Air Refueling Wing, MacDill AFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2015–July 2017, Distribution Branch Chief, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a major
2. July 2022–July 2023, Joint Doctrine Strategic Planner, Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
3. July 2023–June 2024, Acting Director and Senior Air Force Strategic Advisor, Office of Strategy, Office of the Secretary of War (Policy), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,200, including more than 1,400 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-44, C-130E, C-130H, KC-135R, KC-135T and C-37A/B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 5, 2004
First Lieutenant Jan. 5, 2006
Captain Jan. 5, 2008
Major Jan. 1, 2014
Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 1, 2017
Colonel April 1, 2023
(Current as of July 2026)