Colonel John T. Ethridge is the Deputy Commander, 432d Wing and 432d Air Expeditionary Wing, Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. He is responsible for all operations and maintenance of the Air Force’s first Remotely Piloted Aircraft wing, equipped with more than 130 MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-170 Sentinel Remotely Piloted Aircraft. The 432d Wing trains pilots, sensor operators, and other RPA crew members, and conducts combat surveillance and attack operations worldwide. As the 432d Wing and 432d AEW Deputy Commander, he leads more than 4,000 active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, government civilians and contract personnel in three groups and the wing staff. In addition, as the 432d AEW Deputy Commander, he assists in the execution of operational authorities for the Combined Forces and Joint Forces Air Component Commanders for 432d Wing combat units as well as twelve Air National Guard combat MQ-9 units across the United States.
Colonel Ethridge received his commission in 2000 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Texas A&M University. He previously served as the Crisis Action Planner for Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea, the Commander of 432d Operations Support Squadron and as the MQ-9 Reaper Branch Chief at Headquarters Air Force.
He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flight hours. Col Ethridge has flown combat and combat support in operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Inherent Resolve.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
2011 Master of Arts in Theological Studies, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA
2013 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2017 Air War College by correspondence
2020 Master of Science in Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy, National Defense University, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
- July 2000 – May 2001, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, TX
- May 2001 – June 2004, E-3 Instructor Navigator, Tinker AFB, OK
- June 2004 – October 2005, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK
- October 2005 – October 2008, Flight Commander and C-130E/H Aircraft Commander, Little Rock AFB, AR
- October 2008 – July 2012, MQ-1/9 Evaluator Pilot and Chief of Combat Plans, Creech AFB, NV
- July 2012 – June 2013, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
- June 2013 – June 2015, Chief, MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Branch, Pentagon, Washington, DC
- June, 2015 – March 2017, Director of Operations, 432 Operations Support Squadron, Creech AFB, NV
- March 2017 – March 2019, Commander 432 Operations Support Squadron, Creech AFB, NV
- March 2019 – June 2019, Deputy Ops Group Commander, 432 Operations Group, Creech AFB, NV
- June 2019 – June 2020, Student, National Defense University, Joint Advance Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
- July 2020 – May 2022, Crisis Action Planner, Combined Forces Command, USAG Yongsan, ROK
- June 2022 – Present, Deputy Commander, 432d Wing & 432d Air Expeditionary Wing, Creech AFB, NV
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,000
Aircraft: E-3B/C, C-130E/H, MQ-1, and MQ-9
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with thirteen oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, June 11, 2000
First Lieutenant, June 11, 2002
Captain June, 11, 2004
Major, May 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel, September 1, 2015
Colonel, October 1, 2021
(Current as of 25 October 2023)