Col. Evan J. Kirkwood serves as the Commander of the 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Reno, Nev. He commands four groups consisting of 13 squadrons and flights, and is responsible for the policy, programming and planning necessary to train and maintain readiness for over 1,100 Airmen and eight C-130H3 aircraft. The Wing is tasked to provide tactical air delivery capability to the State of Nevada and combatant commanders, and to perform large scale aerial firefighting by employing the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System.
Col. Kirkwood began his military career in 1994 as an Airman Basic serving in multiple enlisted career fields in the Mission Support Group. He received his reserve commission on November 21, 2003 through the Air National Guard Academy of Military Science, Knoxville, Tenn. Upon commissioning, he earned navigator wings at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas in 2004. In 2011, after his upgrade to Instructor Navigator, he was hired as an Air Technician and served as Chief of Scheduling. He then progressed to become Chief of Weapons and Tactics and Evaluator Navigator in 2012. In 2015, he assumed the role of Chief of Current Operations, followed by Director of Operations for the 192nd Airlift Squadron. He commanded both the 152nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 152nd Maintenance Squadron in 2017.
Col. Kirkwood has amassed more than 3,172 flight hours, nearly 438 of which were flown in combat. He has multiple overseas deployments serving in Operations Southern Watch, Joint Forge, Coronet Oak, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn and Inherent Resolve. In 2012, Col. Kirkwood was selected as the Air National Guard Top Instructor Navigator of the year. He is also a C-130 Evaluator Navigator and qualified Modular Airborne Fire Fighting (MAFFS) aircrew member. Prior to his current position he was the Commander of the 152nd Operations Group.
EDUCATION
1995 Basic Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
1995 Air Force Personnel Specialist
1998 Air Force Computer Operator
1999 Noncommissioned Officer Prep Course, by correspondence
2000 Noncommissioned Officer Academy, by correspondence
2000 Associate in Science, Community College of the Air Force
2000 Air Force Computer Technician Course
2001 Bachelor of Science, Morrison University, Reno, Nev.
2003 Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson Air Force Base, Tenn.
2004 Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2007 Squadron Officer’s School, by correspondence
2011 Instructor Navigator Qualification, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2012 CATS / MECOC, Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center, St. Joseph, Mo.
2013 Air Command and Staff, by correspondence
2014 Humanitarian Assistance Response Training (HART), Nevada State Headquarters, Carson City. Nev.
2016 Accelerated Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course, by correspondence
2017 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1995 – March 1996, Personnel Specialist, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
2. March 1996 – September 1997, Formal Training Assistant, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
3. September 1997 – November 2003, Computer Technician, 152nd Communications Flight, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
4. November 2003 – June 2010, C-130 Tactical Mission Navigator, 192nd Airlift Squadron, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
5. June 2010 – August 2012, Chief of Scheduling, 192nd Airlift Squadron, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
6. August 2012 – January 2013, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 152nd Operations Support Squadron, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
7. January 2013 – January 2014, Chief of Current Operations, 152nd Operations Support Squadron, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
8. January 2015 – May 2016, Director of Operations, 192nd Airlift Squadron, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
9. May 2016 – November 2017, Commander, 152nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
10. November 2017 – March 2019, Commander, 152nd Maintenance Squadron, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
11. March 2019 – September 2022, Commander, 152nd Operations Group, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
12. September 2022 -- Current, Commander, 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard Base, Nev.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Navigator with more than fourteen years flying experience, rated instructor and evaluator navigator
Total Flight Hours: 3,625
Evaluator Flight Hours: 110
Instructor Flight Hours: 401
Combat Flight Hours: 438
Combat Support: 70
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
AF Overseas Ribbon Short
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and two oak leaf clusters
AF Longevity Service with oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 4 'M' devices and bronze hourglass
AF Training Ribbon with oak leaf cluster
NATO Medal with bronze star
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2012 Air National Guard Top Instructor Navigator of the year
2013 Nevada Air National Guard 3rd Quarter and Annual Safety Award winner
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 21, 2003
First Lieutenant Nov. 21, 2005
Captain Nov. 21, 2007
Major Nov. 3, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 10, 2016
Colonel Oct. 13, 2020
(Current as of October 2022)