U N I T E D U N I T E D S T A T E S A I R F O R C E
COLONEL REBECCA J. SONKISS Colonel Rebecca J. Sonkiss is the Commander, 89th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. She is responsible for worldwide special air mission airlift, logistics, aerial port and communications support for the President, Vice President, cabinet members, combatant commanders, and other senior military and elected leaders as tasked by the White House, Air Force chief of staff and Air Mobility Command. The wing provides 24/7 alert airlift and operates an Executive Airlift Training Center and Government Network Operations Center. Col Sonkiss graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994 and completed joint undergraduate pilot training at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. She has held several staff positions and commanded an operational C-17 squadron to include two deployed command tours executing combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Horn of Africa. Prior to her current assignment, she served as the Commander, 62nd Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington. There, she ensured the readiness of more than 2,400 active duty military and civilian personnel, along with 48 permanently assigned C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to support worldwide combat and humanitarian airlift and airdrop operations.
Colonel Sonkiss is a command pilot with more than 4,200 hours in the T-37B, T-44, EC-130E/H, RQ- 1A/B, C-130J and C-17A aircraft.
EDUCATION 1994 Bachelor of Science, Engineering Mechanics, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. 2001 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. 2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, by correspondence. 2006 Master of Science, Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. 2007 Master of Science, Strategic Intelligence, Asia Regional Specialty, National Defense Intelligence College, Defense Intelligence Agency, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C. 2011 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, by correspondence. 2014 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Distinguished Graduate and Research Writing Award Recipient, National Defense University, Dwight D. Eisenhower School, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 2. February 1995 – August 1995, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. 3. August 1995 – April 1996, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. 4. August 1996 – October 1999, Squadron Scheduler, Squadron Chief of Safety, Aircraft Commander, EC-130E, 42nd Airborne Command and Control Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. 5. October 1999 – December 2001, Squadron Chief of Safety, Training Flight Commander, B-Flight Commander, Evaluator Pilot, RQ-1A/B, 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 1994 – February 1995, Executive Officer, 54th Operations Group, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado.
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