Colonel Ben Rudolphi is the Deputy Commander of the 23d Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. The 23d Wing is home to the legendary “Flying Tigers” and consists of five groups, with 21 squadrons comprised of more than 4,000 Airmen, over 700 civilian employees and 71 aircraft. The wing provides A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft for close air support, forward air control and combat support for combatant commander requirements worldwide. The 23d Wing also provides combat search and rescue and personnel recovery capabilities through the employment of HC-130J Combat King IIs, HH-60W Jolly Green IIs, and Guardian Angel weapon systems. The wing has units at Moody AFB, Georgia, and Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida.
Colonel Rudolphi commissioned in December 2001 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at Mississippi State University. He has served in a variety of positions at the squadron, group and wing levels, including an assignment to the U.S. Air Force Weapons School as Deputy Commandant. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Rudolphi was the Chief of the F-35 System Management Office at Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science, Biological Engineering, Mississippi State University, Mississippi
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2010 United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence
2016 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2020 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2002 – September 2002, Award Program Manager, 33d Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
2. September 2002- April 2004, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. April 2004 – November 2004, Student, A-10 training, 358th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
4. December 2004 – October 2006, A-10 Pilot, Squadron Weapons Tracking Officer and Electronic Combat Pilot, 355th Fighter Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
5. November 2006 – October 2009, A-10 Evaluator Pilot, Squadron Chief of Scheduling, Flight Commander and A-10 Division Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 81st Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
6. October 2009 – July 2012, A-10 Weapons Officer and Chief of Wing Weapons and Tactics, 74th Fighter Squadron and 23d Operations Support Squadron, Moody AFB, Georgia
7. August 2012 – July 2014, Weapons and Tactics Flight Commander, 51st Operations Support Squadron, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
8. July 2014 – January 2017, Assistant Director of Operations, Director of Operations and Wing Chief of Safety, 354th Fighter Squadron and 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona
9. January 2017 – July 2017, Commander, 407th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Ahmed Al Jaber AB, Kuwait
10. August 2017 – June 2019, Deputy Commandant, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada
11. July 2019 – June 2020, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
12. July 2020 – June 2022, F-35A IP and Wing Inspector General, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
13. July 2022 –July 2022, Chief, F-35 System Management Office, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Virginia
14. July 2023 – Present, Deputy Commander, 23rd Wing, Moody AFB, Georgia
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,800 including 798 combat hours
Aircraft flown: A-10A/C, F-35A, and T-38A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec 29, 2001
First Lieutenant Dec 29, 2002
Captain Dec 29, 2004
Major Dec 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel Nov 1, 2016
Colonel Sep 1, 2022
(Current as of August 2023)