10th Air Base Wing > Commander
Colonel Rick J. LoCastro is the Commander of the 10th Air Base Wing, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He commands more than 3,000 military, civilian and contract personnel who conduct all base-level support activities for the entire installation. These activities include all aspects of security, civil engineering, communications, logistics, military and civilian personnel, financial management, command post, contracting, chaplaincy, equal opportunity, legal, lodging, food service, and all medical facilities--which support nearly 4,000 cadets and a total military community of over 25,000 personnel. He is responsible for a $130M annual operating budget. In addition, he is the Crisis Action Team director during all Air Force Academy installation contingency operations.A 1988 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, he has commanded at every level--Squadron, Group, Wing, and has served in leadership positions in nearly every MAJCOM, as well as a Joint Command, NATO and Air Staff. As the aide-de-camp to the Commander, Pacific Air Forces, later as aide-de-camp to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Transportation Command & Commander, Air Mobility Command, and as a Support Group Commander in NATO--he has traveled and worked in over 80 countries. As Commander, 7th Mission Support Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base,he led his unit to their selection as 2001 U.S. Air Force Mission Support Squadron of the Year, and he was also personally selected as the 2001 U.S. Air Force Senior Personnel Officer of the Year. As Deputy Commander, and later Acting Commander, 89th Mission Support Group, Andrews Air Force Base, he led one of the largest Groups in the Air Force and was a key leader supporting the base's Presidential Air Force One and Executive missions. He then commanded a multi-national NATO Support Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where he was responsible for all security, engineering and maintenance, transportation, administrative services, supply, logistics, food service, safety, and linguistic translation, supporting the 26-nation NATO command. Prior to his current position, he was Vice Wing Commander, 96th Air Base Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. There he ensured support to the base's 6 Wings, 45 tenant units, and oversaw preparations and construction for the arrival of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter all on the Department of Defense's largest installation of over 724 sq. miles.
EDUCATION:
| 1988 | Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO |
| 1995 | Squadron Officers School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL (in-residence) |
| 1998 | Master of Science degree, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI |
| 2000 | Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL (in-residence) |
| 2002 | Air Force On-Scene Commander's Course, Maxwell AFB, AL |
| 2003 | Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL (correspondence) |
| 2005 | Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL (in-residence) |
| 2005 | NATO Staff Officers Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C. |
| 2006 | NATO Expeditionary Operations Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany |
| 2006 | NATO Senior Officer Policy Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany |
| 2006 | Joint Air and Space Operations Senior Staff Course (JSSC) |
| 2006 | Joint & Combined Warfighting School (JPME II), Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA |
| 2007 | Air Force Incident Management Course, Maxwell AFB, AL |
| 2007 | Senior Leader Maintenance Course, Headquarters Air Force Material Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH |
| 2008 | Expeditionary Mission Support Group Senior Leaders Course, USAF Expeditionary Center, Ft Dix, NJ |
| 2008 | USAF Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, NC |
| 2009 | Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Level IV Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Executive Seminar, McLean, VA |
| 2009 | USAF Safety & Accident Investigation Board President Course, Maxwell AFB, AL |
ASSIGNMENTS:
| 1. | February 1989 - November 1990, Adjutant/Executive officer, 72nd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, 56th Tactical Training Wing, MacDill AFB, FL |
| 2. | November 1990 - September 1991, Chief of Protocol, 56th Tactical Training Wing, MacDill AFB, FL |
| 3. | September 1991 - January 1994, Protocol Officer, Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, HI |
| 4. | January 1994 - May 1994, Deputy Chief of Protocol, Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, HI |
| 5. | May 1994 - October 1994, Aide-de-camp to Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, HI |
| 6. | October 1994 - September 1996, Aide-de-camp to Commander in Chief, U.S. Transportation Command & Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, IL |
| 7. | September 1996 - March 1998, Deputy Chief, Support Division, Air Force General Officer Matters Office, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. |
| 8. | March 1998 - July 1999, Chief, Support Division, Air Force General Officer Matters Office, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. |
| 9. | August 1999 - June 2000, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL |
| 10. | June 2000 - June 2002, Commander, 7th Mission Support Squadron, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess AFB, TX |
| 11. | June 2002 - November 2002, Deputy Commander, 89th Mission Support Group, 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews AFB, MD |
| 12. | November 2002 - June 2003, Acting Commander, 89th Mission Support Group, 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews AFB, MD |
| 13. | June 2003 - June 2004, Deputy Commander, 89th Mission Support Group, 89th Airlift Wing, Andrews AFB, MD |
| 14. | June 2004 - June 2005, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL |
| 15. | June 2005 - June 2007, Commander, Support Group, Allied Air Component Command Headquarters Ramstein, Germany |
| 16. | July 2007 - December 2007, Commander, 96th Mission Support Group, 96th Air Base Wing, Eglin AFB, FL |
| 17. | January 2008 - June 2009, Vice Commander, 96th Air Base Wing, Eglin AFB, FL |
| 18. | July 2009 - Present, Commander, 10th Air Base Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO |
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
| Defense Superior Service Medal |
| Defense Meritorious Service Medal |
| Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters |
| Air Force Commendation Medal |
| Air Force Achievement Medal |
| Joint Meritorious Unit Citation |
| Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters |
| Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with two oak leaf clusters |
| Air Force Recognition Ribbon |
| National Defense Service Medal |
| Global War on Terrorism Service Medal |
| Armed Forces Service Medal |
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
| 2001 | U.S. Air Force Senior Personnel Officer of the Year |
| 2001 | Commander of U.S. Air Force Mission Support Squadron of the Year |
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
| Second Lieutenant | 1 June 1988 |
| First Lieutenant | 1 June 1990 |
| Captain | 1 June 1992 |
| Major | 1 August 1998 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | 1 March 2002 |
| Colonel | 1 March 2006 |
As of: July 2009