Col Nicholas R. Pederson is the Commander of the 432d Wing and the 432d Air Expeditionary Wing, Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. Colonel Pederson leads all operations and maintenance of the Air Force's first Remotely Piloted Aircraft wing, equipped with more than 120 MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-170 Sentinel aircraft. The 432d Wing conducts 24/7 persistent attack and reconnaissance combat operations worldwide, while training pilots, combat systems officers, sensor operators, intelligence professionals, maintainers, and support personnel. As 432d Wing Commander, Colonel Pederson leads more than 5,000 people across five groups and twenty squadrons, in addition to serving as the Installation Command Authority for Creech Air Force Base. In the role of 432d AEW Commander, he commands MQ-9 and RQ-170 deployed operations supporting CENTCOM, EUCOM, AFRICOM, and INDOPACOM Combatant Commanders.
Col Pederson commissioned in 2002 through Basic Officer Training. He graduated from the USAF Weapons School in 2010 and has served as a Weapons School instructor in the MQ-1 and MQ-9 as well as the squadron commander of the 15th Attack Squadron. While in B-1Bs, Col Pederson flew operational missions in Afghanistan and has employed the MQ-1B and MQ-9 over Afghanistan, Iraq, and other areas in CENTCOM and AFRICOM. His previous assignment was Chief of ISR Current Operations for the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, at the Pentagon.
Col Pederson is a master navigator whose aviation career includes more than 3,000 flying hours with 241 combat hours and 1800 hours of combat support in the B-1B, MQ-1B, and MQ-9.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL
2001 Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 USAF MQ-1 & MQ-9 Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, NV
2011 USAF Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2013 US Army Command and General Staff College, by correspondence
2015 Master of Arts in National Security Studies, US Naval War College, Newport, RI
2016 Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
2018 USAF Air War College, by correspondence
2019 Doctorate of Philosophy in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2002-June 2003, student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, NAS Pensacola, FL
2. July 2003-December 2003, EWO student, 563rd Flying Training Sq, Randolph AFB, TX
3. January 2004-July 2004, B-1B FTU student, 28th Bomb Sq, Dyess Air Force Base, TX
4. August 2004-February 2006, B-1B Weapons System Office, 9th Bomb Sq, Dyess Air Force Base, TX
5. February 2006-July 2006, MQ-1 Student, 11th Reconnaissance Sq, Creech AFB, NV
6. August 2006-December 2009, MQ-1/MQ-9 Evaluator Pilot, 17th Reconnaissance Sq, Creech AFB, NV
7. January 2010-June 2010, MQ-1/MQ-9 Weapons Instructor Course student, 26th Weapons Sq, Nellis AFB, NV
8. July 2010-June 2011, MQ-1/MQ-9 Weapons Officer & Evaluator Pilot, 17th Reconnaissance Sq, Creech AFB, NV
9. July 2011-June 2014, MQ-1/MQ-9 Weapons School Instructor & DOW Chief, 26th Weapons Sq, Nellis AFB, NV
10. July 2014-June 2015, student, Command and Naval Staff College, Newport, RI
11. July 2015-June 2016, student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
12. July 2016-May 2017, Director of Operations, 15th Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, NV
13. June 2017-June 2018, Commander, 15th Attack Squadron, Creech AFB, NV
14. July 2018-June 2019, Ph.D. student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
15. July 2019-August 2020, Joint Wargaming Analyst, Joint Staff J8, Pentagon, DC
16. August 2020-June 2021, Division Chief, ISR Current Operations, OSD(I&S), Pentagon, DC
17. June 2021-July 2023, Vice Commander, 49th Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
18. July 2023-Present, Commander, 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Creech AFB, NV
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: B-1B, MQ-1B, MQ-9, T-34, T-1, and T-39
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with seventeen oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant: March 1, 2002
First Lieutenant: March 1, 2004
Captain: March 1, 2006
Major: February 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel: January 1, 2016
Colonel: February 1, 2021
(Current as of July 2023)