Colonel Bobby D. Buckner is the Commander, 23rd Maintenance Group, 23d Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, home of the Air Force’s legendary “Flying Tigers.” The group provides safe, reliable and effective maintenance on 49 A-10C, 9 HC-130J, and 9 HH-60W aircraft valued at $2.3 B. He leads over 1,800 personnel in one of the Air Force’s largest combat coded maintenance groups and ensures their ability to deploy aircraft, personnel, and cargo worldwide to conduct forward air control, close air support, air interdiction, and both civilian and combat search and rescue missions.
Colonel Buckner is a 2001 honors graduate of North Carolina State University and earned his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1988 and has served over 30 years. He is a logistician with a core background in aircraft maintenance. As an aircraft maintenance officer, he has served in a variety of sortie production roles in Equipment, Component and Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons. He also has depot level experience in acquisitions and as a program manager earned his Level I acquisition certification. He served at HQ United States Forces Afghanistan as a strategic planner and has deployed to Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar. Prior to his current position Col Buckner was the Deputy Commander of the 52nd Maintenance Group, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.
EDUCATION
1996 Associate degree in Munitions System Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2001 Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
2002 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2007 Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering, Embry Riddle University, Warner Robins GA
2010 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence)
2014 AETC Master Instructor Certification
2015 Air Command and Staff College
2019 Air War College (correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1988 – July 1999, Enlisted Munitions System Specialist, Shaw AFB, Misawa AB, Morbach GE, Ramstein GE
2. June 2001 – September 2001, Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course, Student, Sheppard AFB, TX
3. September 2001 – September 2004, Maintenance Officer, 81st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 52nd Equipment Maintenance Squadron, 52nd Component Maintenance Squadron Spangdahlem AB, Germany
4. September 2004 – September 2008, Maintenance Officer, 402nd Electronics Maintenance Group, 560th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 402d Wing Executive Officer, 575th Combat Sustainment Squadron, Warner-Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins AFB, GA
5. May 2008 – May 2010, Director of Operations Officer, 55th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
6. May 2010 – September 2010, Commanders Action Group, 12th AF, SOUTHCOM
7. September 2010 – September 2011 J5 Strategic Planner, United States Forces Afghanistan, Kabul
8. September 2011 – January 2012, Maintenance Officer, 355th Component Maintenance Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ
9. January 2012 – June 2014, Director of Operations, 29th Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, AL
10. June 2014 - June 2015, Student, Air Command and Staff College
11. June 2015 - 2018, (Stood up 447th Expeditionary AMXS May 15-Oct 16) 23rd AMXS Commander
12. June 2018 - June 2020, NATO AWACS AMXS Commander
13. June 2020 - June 2023, 52nd MXG Deputy Commander
14. June 2023 - Present, 23rd MXG Commander, Moody AFB, GA
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
August 2015 - July 2017, Chief, Acquisition Operations Division, SOF AT&L, USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, FL
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
Air Force Training Ribbon
NATO Medal with one bronze star
Air Force Level Lieutenant General Leo Marquez Award
NATO Meritorious Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 30 May 2001
First Lieutenant 30 May 2003
Captain 30 May 2005
Major 1 June 2011
Lieutenant Colonel 1 August 2016
Colonel 1 March 2023
(Current as of June 2023)