Colonel Richard R. Kovsky Colonel Richard R. Kovsky commands the 18th Air Support Operations Group, Air Combat Command, Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina. The group is aligned with the XVIII Airborne Corps and its Divisions, the 82d Airborne, 101st Airborne Air Assault, 10th Mountain, and the 3d Infantry Divisions. The 18 ASOG organizes, trains, equips and employs Tactical Air Control Parties, Air Support Operations centers, and Special Warfare Mission Support Airmen for joint operations worldwide. The group comprises over 800 Airmen, Gaurdians, Civilians, and Contractors within 6 units at 4 different installations across the eastern United States. The 18th ASOG provides precision air, space, and cyber capabilities to conventional, airborne and special operations forces.Colonel Kovsky gained his commission in 2000 through OfficerTraining School. After earning his Navigator wings at Pensacola NAS, FL, he was selected to fly the B-1B. As a Weapons System Officer in the B-1B, Colonel Kovsky was assigned to the 37th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, SD, where he flew over 590 combat hours in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. In 2007, Col Kovsky became a Flight Commander and Chief Evaluator at the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Dyess AFB, TX. In 2009, he became a Flight Commander, followed by and Assistant Director of Operations and Director of Staff at the 7th Operations Support Squadron at Dyess AFB, TX. In 2011, he was selected to serve as the Chief Weapons System Officer Evaluator for the 7th Operations Group at Dyess AFB, TX. In 2013, Col Kovsky was selected as the Director of Operations at the 604th Air Support Operations Squadron, Camp Red Cloud, Republic of Korea. He later became the Director of Operations in 2015 at the 607th Air Support Operations Group, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. In 2015, he was selected as the Director of Operations at the 93d Air Ground Operations Wing, Moody AFB GA, where he later became the Director of Staff and Inspector General. In 2017, Col Kovsky took Command of the 19th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Campbell, KY. In 2019, following Squadron Command, Col Kovsky became the Deputy Group Commander at the 18th Air Support Operations Group, Pope Army Air Field, Fort Bragg, NC. In 2020, Col Kovsky became the Chief of Open Skies Department at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA.Colonel Kovsky is a Senior Navigator with over 1,750 hours in the B-1B, OC-135, T-1, T-34 and T-39 aircraft. He is married to his wife Camille, and they have three children. ASSIGNMENTS: 1.May 2000 – Aug 2000, Officer Trainee, USAF Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL2.Aug 2000 – Feb 2002, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, Pensacola NAS, FL3.Feb 2002 – Jul 2003, Student, 28th Bomb Squadron, B-1B FTU, Dyess AFB, TX4.Jul 2003 – Jul 2007, Weapon Systems Officer/Executive Officer/Squadron Scheduler, 37th BombSquadron, Ellsworth AFB, SD5.Jul 2007 – Oct 2009, Flight Commander/Chief Evaluator, 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron, DyessAFB, TX6.Oct 2009 – Oct 2011, Flight Commander/Assistant Director of Operations/Director of Staff,7th Operations Support Squadron, Dyess AFB, TX7.Oct 2011 – Jan 2013, Chief Weapons Systems Officer Evaluator, 7th Operations Group,7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, TX8.Jan 2013 – Jan 2015, Director of Operations, 604th Air Support Operations Squadron, Camp RedCloud, Republic of Korea9.Jan 2015 – Jun 2015, Director of Operations, 607th Air Support Operations Group, Osan Air Base,Republic of Korea10.Jun 2015 – Jun 2017, Director of Operations/Director of Staff/Inspector General, 93d Air GroundOperations Wing, Moody AFB, GA11.Jun 2017 – Jul 2019, Commander, 19th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Campbell, KY12.Jul 2019 – Jun 2020, Deputy Commander, 18th Air Support Operations Group, Pope Army Airfield, NC13.Jun 2020 – July 2022, Chief of Open Skies Department, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, VA14.July 2022 – Present, Commander, 18th Air Support Operations Group, Pope Army Airfield, NC FLIGHT INFORMATION: Ratings: Senior Navigator Flight Hours: Over 1,750 Flight Time Logged In: T-34, T-1, T-39, OC-135, B-1B MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS: Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with 5 oak leaf clusters Air Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Commendation Medal Combat Readiness Medal National Defense Service Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal with star Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal EDUCATION: 1996 Bachelor of Health Science, Sport Management, Georgia Southern University 2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL 2011 Master of Business Administration, Strategic Leadership, Trident University International 2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL, by correspondence 2020 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL, by correspondence