Col Kenneth A. Roberts Jr is the Commander of the 23d Mission Support Group, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. He leads a diverse group of over 1.5K military, civilian and contractors providing support and services to over 28K active-duty and retired military and family members. His group of six squadrons executes an annual budget in excess of $58M and maintains an installation with 830 facilities and more than 117K acres, including adjacent bombing and strafing ranges, drop and landing zones in support of A-10C, HC-130J, HH-60W, and Guardian Angel forces as well as a tenant base defense group. He is responsible for ensuring the readiness of support forces to mobilize and deploy to build, secure and sustain air base operations at austere bare base locations anywhere in the world.
Col Roberts enlisted in the Air Force in April 1988 and earned his commission in December 2002 through the Officer Training School program at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He has held a variety of assignments at the squadron, group, wing, and staff level, including Wing Weather Officer, Beale AFB California; Detachment Commander, 2d Combat Weather Squadron at Wheeler Army Air Field Hawaii; Operations Officer, 2d Combat Weather System Squadron at Hurlburt Field Florida; Commander, 2d Weather Support Squadron at Offutt AFB Nebraska; Deputy Commander, 42d Mission Support Group at Maxwell AFB Alabama, and Chief of Staff to the Director of Air and Cyberspace Operations, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Prior to his current position, Col Roberts was the Deputy Commander of the 23d Mission Support Group, Moody AFB, Georgia.
EDUCATION
1993 Airman Leadership School, United States Air Force, United States Air Force Academy, Colo
2002 Associates in Arts, Education and Training, Community College of the Air Force, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
2002 Bachelor of Science, Education, Southern Illinois University, Ill.
2003 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Masters of Arts, Education Training and Development, Trident University International, Chandler, Az
2012 Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (correspondence)
2023 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1988 – October 1991, Weather Journeyman, Wright Army Airfield, Ft. Stewart, Ga. (August 1990 – March 1991, Staff Weather Officer, 24th Infantry Division, Operation DESERT SHIELD/STORM, Saudi Arabia/Iraq)
2. October 1991 – July 1992, Student, Chanute AFB, Ill.
3. July 1992 – February 1996, Weather Forecaster, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
4. February 1996 – July 1999, Education Training Manager, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
5. July 1999 – October 2002, Education Training Manager, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
6. October 2002 – August 2004, Wing Weather Officer, Beale AFB, Cal. (May 2002 – July 2002, Staff Weather Officer, Operation NOBLE EAGLE, Tyndall AFB, Fla.)
7. August 2004 – July 2006, Command Weather Briefer, Tanker Airlift Control Center, Scott AFB, Ill.
8. July 2006 – April 2008, Senior Flight Commander, 38th Student Squadron, ASBC, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. April 2008 – February 2009, Commanders Action Group, Squadron Officer College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. February 2009 – July 2010, Squadron Operations Officer, 37th Student Squadron, ASBC, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2010 – July 2013, Detachment Commander, Detachment 2, 1st Weather Squadron, Wheeler AAF, Hawaii
12. July 2013 – June 2016, Director of Operations, 2d Combat Weather Systems Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. (September 2014 – April 2015, Executive Officer, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
13. June 2016 – May 2017, Deputy Weather Branch Chief, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Joint Base Pearl-Harbor (JBPH-H), Hawaii
14. May 2017 – June 2018, Chief of Staff to the Director of Air and Cyberspace Operations, Pacific Air Forces JBPH-H, Hawaii
15. June 2018 – June 2020, Commander, 2d Weather Support Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
16. June 2020 – October 2021, Deputy Commander, 23d Mission Support Group, Moody AFB, Ga.
17. October 2021 – July 2022, Chief of Air Staff, 23d Wing, Moody AFB, Ga.
18. July 2022 – May 2023, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
19. May 2023 – Present, Deputy Commander, 42d Mission Support Group, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster Army Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2005 Outstanding Weather CGO of the Year, Air Mobility Command
2009 Lance P. Sijan, Junior Officer Category, 37th Student Squadron
2011 Lance P. Sijan, Junior Officer Category, 1st Weather Squadron
2012 Lance P. Sijan, Junior Officer Category, 1st Weather Squadron
2013 FGO of the Year, 2d Combat Weather Systems Squadron
2015 FGO of the Year, 2d Combat Weather Systems Squadron
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant December 20, 2002
First Lieutenant December 20, 2004
Captain December 20, 2006
Major November 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel August 1, 2017
Colonel November 1, 2023
(CURRENT AS OF JULY 2024)