Colonel Blanchard assumes command of D-M

By Airman 1st Class Saphfire Cook
355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs


U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robin Rand, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) commander, hands the 355th Fighter Wing guidon to Lt. Col. Kevin Blanchard as he assumes command on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. Aug. 10, 2012. Colonel Blanchard comes to D-M from the vice-commander seat of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. (U.S Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Timothy D. Moore) Hi-res

8/17/2012 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Col. Kevin E. Blanchard took command of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in a military ceremony here Aug. 10.

Lt. Gen. Robin Rand, 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) commander, presided over the ceremony. The symbolic moment occurred when General Rand passed the wing guidon to Colonel Blanchard, effectively handing over command of the 355th Fighter Wing.

"As a combat-ready wing, the 355th FW is going to be led by a great combat-tested warrior," Rand said. "Colonel Blanchard has had a notable Air Force career, and his skills as a tactician and leader are well-known throughout the Air Force."

Colonel Blanchard has flown combat and combat support missions in the A-10 in support of operations Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom and was a member of the Combined Joint Task Force-180 Air Component Coordination Element supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and earned a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

Most recently, Colonel Blanchard was vice commander of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, where he led more than 2,500 Airmen across five forward operating locations employing, maintaining and supporting a mixed fleet of more than 130 aircraft.

Addressing the men and women of the 355th Fighter Wing during the ceremony, Colonel Blanchard shared his thanks.

"Commanding the 355th FW and serving D-M's Airmen is an honor I never fathomed would be a reality in my career," Blanchard said. "I am so proud, honored and humbled to be standing on this stage and I thank you for the opportunity."

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See also:
Media Advisory: New commander to assume command of D-M

Release Number: 030812 8/7/2012 - DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- Col. Kevin Blanchard is slated to assume command of Davis-Monthan in a ceremony at 9 a.m. on Aug. 10.

Colonel Blanchard comes to the wing from a one-year assignment as the vice commander of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. He will succeed Col. John Cherrey who departed for an assignment at the Pentagon in June.

Media are invited to cover the ceremony and participate in a brief interview available from about 8:30 to 8:50 a.m. The ceremony is scheduled to start promptly at 9 a.m.

Media wishing to cover the Assumption of Command should email 355WG.PA@dm.af.mil with their full name, media affiliation, social security number, date of birth, driver's license state and number and a good contact phone number and email, no later than 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 8.

Gate call time will be at 8:10 a.m. at the Craycroft Gate Visitor Center.

Contact 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs at 520-228-3406 if you have any questions.

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Official USAF biography of Col. Kevin E. Blanchard

Full size Col. Kevin E. Blanchard is the Commander of the 355th Fighter Wing on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. He is responsible for one of the largest installations and flying operations in the United States Air Force, with more than 7,000 Airmen, 3,200 civilians, and more than 100 aircraft. He is responsible for organizing, training and equipping a 22-squadron wing, including three fighter squadrons. The wing provides A-10C aircraft for close air support and forward air control, combat support, and medical forces for combatant commander worldwide requirements. He is also responsible for training A-10C for the entire Total Force and is the Air Combat Command executive agent for Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces and Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty compliance.

Colonel Blanchard was commissioned in 1991 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Biology.

Colonel Blanchard has flown combat and combat support missions in the A-10 in support of operations Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom and was a member of the Combined Joint Task Force-180 Air Component Coordination Element supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and earned a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. Most recently, Colonel Blanchard was vice commander of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, where he led more than 2,500 Airmen across five forward operating locations employing, maintaining and supporting a mixed fleet of more than 130 aircraft.

Colonel Blanchard is a command pilot with more than 3,000 total hours in HC-130P, (O)A-10A, A-10C, and MC-12W aircraft with more than 500 combat hours over Iraq and Afghanistan.

EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Biology, United Stated Air Force Academy, Colo.
1994 Masters of Science in Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, Kan.
2011 Air War College, Master of Arts in Strategic Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1991 - August 1992, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. January 1993 - May 1994, student, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, N.C.
3. Jun 1994 - July 1995, Financial Services Officer, 82nd Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas
4. February 1996 - May 1997, HC-130 pilot/Chief of Current Operations, 71st Rescue Squadron, Patrick AFB, Fla.
5. May 1997 - December 1998, HC-130 pilot/Assistant Chief of Tactics, 71st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
6. December 1998 - September 2001, A-10 Aircraft Commander/Chief of Training/Flight Commander, 355th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
7. September 2001 - July 2004, A-10 Instructor Pilot/Chief of Scheduling/Chief of Stan/Eval, 357th Fighter Squadron, Operations Group Stan/Eval Flight Examiner, 355th Operations Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
8. July 2004 - July 2005, student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
9. July 2005 - July 2006, USFK J35 Special Technical Operations Chief, Youngsan AIN, South Korea
10. July 2006 - October 2007, A-10 Instructor Pilot/Assistant Director of Operations/Director of Operations, 355th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
11. October 2007 - July 2010, A-10C Instructor Pilot/Director of Operations, 357th Fighter Squadron, Director of Staff/Chief of Safety, 355th Fighter Wing, and Commander, 355th Operations Support Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
12. July 2010 - Jun 2011, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. July 2011 - July 2012, Vice Wing Commander, 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan
14. Aug 2012 - Present, Commander, 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: (O)A-10A, A-10C, HC-130P, MC-12W

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1991
First Lieutenant May 29, 1993
Captain May 29, 1995
Major March 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Feb 1, 2007
Colonel September 1, 2011 (Current as of Aug 2012)

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