COLONEL JOHN D. RAMSEY III

Col. John D. Ramsey III is the Deputy Commander, 916th Air Refueling Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. As Deputy Commander, Colonel Ramsey assists the Wing Commander in the organization, training and employment of the first unit-equipped KC-46A Pegasus wing in Air Force Reserve Command, consisting of over 1,200 personnel.

 

Colonel Ramsey received his commission from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and began his Active Duty career as an Aircraft Maintenance officer at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. and Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. before being selected to attend Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the 535th Airlift Squadron as initial cadre of a newly activated C-17A unit. He progressed through Aircraft Commander and Airdrop Aircraft Commander while holding numerous positions throughout the 15th Airlift Wing. Upon assignment to Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., he upgraded to Instructor Aircraft Commander, Evaluator Aircraft Commander and ultimately Special Operations Low-Level II Left Seat Evaluator Aircraft Commander. He has flown combat missions in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, New Dawn, Odyssey Dawn and Resolute Support. In 2012, Colonel Ramsey was assigned the 621st Contingency Response Wing where he upgraded to Contingency Response Element Evaluator Commander.

 

Colonel Ramsey transitioned to the Air Force Reserves in 2014 and was the 315th Airlift Control Flight Assistant Director of Operations before taking command and transitioning the ALCF to its new designation as 315th Contingency Response Flight. In 2020, he was selected to command the 317th Airlift Squadron performing critical roles in Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Allies Refuge.

 

Prior to his current position, Colonel Ramsey was Individual Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Staff, Air Force Futures, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C. In his civilian career, Colonel Ramsey is a Captain with United Airlines.

 

2000 Bachelor of Arts, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

2000 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2010 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.

2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2017 Joint Combined Warfighting School-Hybrid, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.

2018 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

 

1. July 2000 – April 2001, Aerospace Generation Equipment Officer in Charge, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.
2. April 2001 – June 2002, Assistant Sortie Generation Flight Commander, 333rd Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
3. June 2002 – July 2003, Propulsion Flight Commander, 4th Component Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
4. July 2003 – May 2004, Fabrication Flight Commander, 355th EMS, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
5. May 2004 – March 2006, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas
6. March 2006 – June 2007, C-17A Pilot/Executive Officer, 535th Airlift Squadron, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
7. June 2007 – April 2008, C-17A Aircraft Commander/Squadron Operations Controller, 535th AS, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
8. April 2008 – April 2009, C-17A Aircraft Commander/Commander, Wing Weapons & Tactics Flight, 15th Operational Support Squadron, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
9. April 2009 – April 2010, C-17A Instructor Aircraft Commander/Director of Staff, 17th AS, Charleston AFB, S.C.
10. April 2010 – May 2011, C-17A Evaluator Aircraft Commander/Special Operations Division Director of Operations, 437th Operations Group, Charleston AFB, SC
11. May 2011 – May 2012, C-17A Evaluator Aircraft Commander/Special Operations Division Deputy Director, 437th Operations Group, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.

12. May 2012 – November 2012, C-17A Evaluator Aircraft Commander/Chief of Standardization and Evaluations, 17th AS, JB Charleston, S.C.
13. November 2012 – September 2014, C-17A Instructor Aircraft Commander/Assistant Director of Operations, 571st Global Mobility Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
14. September 2014 – July 2015, Assistant Director of Operations/C-17A Instructor Aircraft Commander, 315th Airlift Control Flight, JB Charleston, S.C.
15. July 15 – January 2020, Commander, 315th Contingency Response Flight, JB Charleston, S.C.
16. January 2020 – November 2022, Commander, 317th AS, JB Charleston, S.C.
17. April 2023 - April 2025, Individual Mobilization Assistant to Director of Staff, Air Force Futures, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
18. April 2025 - Present, Deputy Commander, 916th Air Refueling Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C

 

Rating: Command Pilot

Flight hours: more than 4,000 including more than 825 combat hours

Aircraft flown: T-6A, T-1A, C-17A, 757, 767, 777

 

Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Air Force Achievement Medal

 

Second Lieutenant May 20, 2000

First Lieutenant May 20, 2002

Captain May 20, 2004

Major June 1, 2010

Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2016

Colonel August 1, 2022