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Colonel ALLEN C. MORRIS Jr.

Colonel Allen C. Morris, Jr. serves as the Commander of the 43d Air Mobility Operations Group and Commander of Task Force Gryphon, headquartered at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Liberty, North Carolina. The 43d is a uniquely structured stand-alone Group responsible for the rapid deployment of forces in support of the nation’s Immediate Response Force and National Mission Forces, as well as providing combat training & readiness for Joint and Mobility Air Forces partners. Comprised of over 750 personnel and eight squadrons, the 43d supports more than 2,700 US Air Force Airmen from across the five Major Commands stationed at Fort Liberty. To secure national objectives, the Group is prepared to meet short-notice, humanitarian, and worldwide mobility taskings by enabling Airborne Joint Forcible Entry, combat airlift, aerial port, command and control and force support operations.

Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Colonel Morris entered the USAF from ROTC Detachment 207 at Saint Louis University in 2002. He is a career C-17A pilot who twice served as initial cadre, instructed at the USAF Weapons School, and commanded the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron conducting combat airlift operations in the Middle East. Colonel Morris is a graduate of the USAF Weapons School, the USAF Safety School, the US Army Command and General Staff College, the US Army School of Advanced Military Studies, and the Eisenhower School at National Defense University. His staff assignments include duty at the 618th Air Operations Center, Headquarters Air Force, US Transportation Command, and most recently as the Director of Operations, Logistics, Plans and Analysis (A3/4/5/9) at the USAF Expeditionary Center.

EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Science, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Mo.
2002 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 C-17A Weapons Instructor Course, USAF Weapons School Class 09-B, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2011 Master of Arts, Military Studies, American Military University, Charlestown, W. Va.
2011 USAF Safety School, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2014 Master of Military Art & Science, Military History, Army Command & General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
2015 Master of Military Art & Science, Theater Operations, School of Advanced Military Studies, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
2021 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Ft. Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.

 

ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2002 – August 2002, Recruiting Officer, AFROTC Det 207, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Mo.​
2. September2002–October2003,UndergraduatePilotTraining,Class03-15, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. November2003–February2004,C-17A Pilot Initial Qualification Training, Altus AFB, Okla.
4. March2004–March2007,C-17AAircraftCommander,Scheduler&SquadronOperationsController, 8th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
5. March2007–March2011,C-17AInitialCadre,OperationsFlightCommander,Wing Electronic Combat Officer, Weapons Officer, Weapons & Tactics Flight Commander, C-17A Instructor/Evaluator Pilot, 517th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.
6. April 2011 – June 2013, Instructor Weapons Officer, Operations Flight Commander, Flight Safety Chief & Assistant Director of Operations, 57th Weapons Squadron, USAF Weapons School, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
7. June 2013 – May 2015, Student, Army Command and General Staff College & School of Advanced Military Studies, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
8. May 2015 – June 2017: Initial Cadre & Deputy-Director, Strategy, 618th Air Operations Center (TACC), Scott AFB, Ill.
9. June 2017 – June 2018: Commander, 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
10. July 2018 – July 2020: CHECKMATE Director of Staff & Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (AF/A3), Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Va.
11. July 2020 – June 2021: Student, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Ft. Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
12. June 2021 – May 2023: Chief, Operations Support Division, Joint Distribution Process Analysis Center (JDPAC), United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
13. June 2023 – November 2023: Director of Operations, Logistics, Plans and Analysis (A3/4/5/9), USAF Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
14. November 2023 – Present: Commander, 43d Air Mobility Operations Group & Commander, Task Force Gryphon, Pope Army Airfield, Ft. Liberty, N.C.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2021 – May 2023: Chief, Operations Support Division, Joint Distribution Process Analysis Center (JDPAC), United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill. as a lieutenant colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,500 (855 combat hours)
Aircraft Flown: T-37B, T-1A, C-17A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal w/ five oak leaf clusters   
Air Medal w/ four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
German Armed Forces Military Proficiency Badge in Silver

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2008 3rd Wing Warrior of the Year
2009 Airlift/Tanker Association Young Leader Award
2010 Pacific Air Forces Daedalion Pilot of the Year
2015 School of Advanced Military Studies Commandant’s List
2023 Federal Executive Board Excellence in Government Award

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Life Member, Airlift/Tanker Association
Life Member, Veterans of Foreign Wars

(Current as of June 2024)