(Archived - Former Vice Commander of the 507th Air Refueling Wing - Left the 507th ARW in September 2016) Colonel Eric R. Jenkins was the Vice Commander of the 507th Air Refueling Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The 507th ARW is the largest Air Force Reserve flying unit in the state of Oklahoma. The wing reports to Fourth Air Force supporting Air Mobility Command's airlift and air refueling requirements, Federal Aviation Administration's flight inspection requirements and United States Strategic Command's alert and emergency war order requirements.
Colonel Jenkins earned a Bachelor of Science degree in General Studies and subsequent commission into the Air Force from the US Air Force Academy in 1988. In 1990, Colonel Jenkins completed Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB Okla. and received a C-141B follow on assignment to McCord AFB Wash. He flew the C-141B for five years and received a second assignment to the US Air Force Academy as an Instructor and Executive Officer for the Department of Athletics.
In 1998, Colonel Jenkins separated from active duty and became an Academy Liaison Officer. In 2003, while assigned to the 756th Airlift Squadron and flying C-141B/Cs, he was instrumental in the unit’s transition to the 756th Air Refueling Squadron, operating the KC-135R. Colonel Jenkins is a veteran of numerous operations in support of national objectives. He was called to active duty in 2003 to serve in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Colonel Jenkins has deployed three times in support of contingency operations and has served as the Deployed Commander in 2012 for the 90th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Incirlik Air Base Turkey. In his previous assignment, Colonel Jenkins served as the Inspector General at the 913th Airlift Group, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
EDUCATION
1984 USAF Academy Preparatory School, USAF Academy, Colo.
1988 Bachelors of Science-General Studies, USAF Academy, Colo.
1995 Masters of Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla.
1995 Squadron Officer School in Residence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. by correspondence
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. by correspondence
2014 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1988 - April 1989, Candidate Counselor/Asst Track Coach, Dept of Athletics U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2. April 1989 - September 1990, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
3. September 1990 - August 1995, Pilot, C-141B (Chief Tactics Scheduler) McChord AFB Wash.
4. August 1995 - June 1998, Executive Officer/Chief Inst Scheduler, Dept of Athletics, USAFA, Colo.
5. June 1998 - April 1999, In-active reserve
6. April 1999 - December 1999, USAFA Academy Liaison Officer, USAFA, Colo.
7. December 1999 - April 2004, C-141 Pilot/Aircraft Commander/Instructor Pilot, 756th Airlift Squadron, Andrews AFB, Md.
8. April 2004 - March 2007, KC-135 Pilot/Aircraft Commander and Flight Commander, 756th Air Refueling Squadron, Andrews AFB, Md.
9. March 2007 - June 2008, Assistant Operations Officer and Director of Operations, 756th ARS
10. June 2008 - August 2013, Deputy Commander/Flight Commander, 459th Operations Support Flight, Andrews AFB, Md.
11. April 2013 - February 2014, Deputy Group Commander, 459th Operations Group, Andrews AFB, Md.
12. February 2014 - July 2015 Inspector General 913th Airlift Group, Little Rock AFB Ark.
13. July 2015 - September 2016, Vice Commander, 507th Air Refueling Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot, Instructor and Parachutist
Flight Hours: More than 4,000 and 5,000 civilian
Military aircraft flown: T-41, T-37, T-38, C-141B/C, KC-135R, UV-18
Civilian aircraft flown: B-727, B-737, B-757, B-767
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with one device
AF Outstanding Unit Award with two devices
AF Organizational Excellence Award with one device
Combat Readiness Medal with two devices
AF Good Conduct Medal with one device
National Defense Service Medal with one device
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with one devise
Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
AF Longevity Service with three devices
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
AF Training Ribbon with one devise
Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant, June 1988
First Lieutenant, June 1990
Captain, June 1992
Major, October 2000
Lieutenant Colonel, Aug 2007
Colonel, March 2014
(Current as of July 2015)