Col. Ian Chase serves as the vice commander of the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. The wing is authorized six HC-130P/N tanker aircraft and 15 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters to support worldwide combat-search-and-rescue operations and Eastern Test Range clearing missions. The wing comprises approximately 2,000 personnel assigned to four groups, 17 squadrons, four flights, a headquarters section as well as three geographically separated units in Arizona, Virginia and Oregon. The colonel provides leadership, management and supervision and is responsible for the organization, training and equipping of the wing. During wartime, the wing’s assets are assigned to Air Combat Command.
Colonel Chase earned his commission in 1989 as a graduate from North Carolina State University. Upon graduation from undergraduate navigator training at Mather AFB, California, he was assigned to the 20th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, South Carolina. He upgraded to evaluator navigator and flew as a radar navigator, mission commander and special operations planner in the Special Operations Low Level II program. Colonel Chase transitioned to the U.S. Air Force Reserve in 1997 and was assigned to the 711th Special Operations Squadron, Duke Field, Florida. He served as the chief navigator, chief of current operations and as chief of operations and training for the MC-130E active associate schoolhouse. Colonel Chase later served as chief, Program Strategy Division, U.S. Special Operations Command; and chief, Force Structure Branch, Air Force Special Operations Command. Prior to coming to the 920th RQW, Colonel Chase was as the individual mobilization augmentee to the director of Air, Space and Information Operations, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Georgia.
Colonel Chase is a master navigator with more than 4,200 flying hours, including more than 400 combat hours, primarily in C-141B and MC-130E aircraft. He has deployed in support of Operations Uphold Democracy, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, and served as commander, Joint Special Operations Air Component, Special Operations Command - Africa, Stuttgart, Germany.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2008 Air War College, by correspondence
2010 Master of Business Administration, Trident University International, Cypress, Calif.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1990–August 1991, Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Mather Air Force Base, Calif.
2. October 1991–October 1994, Special Operations Low Level II Map Navigator, 15th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
3. October 1994–May 1995, C141B Instructor, SOLL II Map Navigator, 16th ALS, Charleston AFB, S.C.
4. May 1995–April 1996, C141B Evaluator, SOLL II Radar Navigator, 16th ALS, Charleston AFB, S.C.
5. April 1996–October 1997, C141B Evaluator Navigator, Planner, 437th Operations Group Special Operations Division, Charleston AFB, S.C.
6. October 1997–February 2000, MC-130E Navigator, 711th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin Field 3, Fla.
7. February 2000–March 2002, MC-130E Instructor and Chief Navigator, 711th SOS, Eglin Field 3, Fla.
8. March 2002–February 2004, MC-130E Evaluator Navigator and Chief of Current Operations, 711th SOS, Eglin Field 3, Fla.
9. February 2004–January 2006, Chief, Operations Training, 711th SOS, Eglin Field 3, Fla.
10. January 2006–December 2008, Assistant Director of Operations, 711th SOS, Eglin Field 3, Fla.
11. December 2008–April 2012, Chief, Program Strategy Division, Joint Staff, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
12. April 2012–September 2014, Force Structure Branch, Air Force Staff, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13. October 2014–July 2017, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Air Force Reserve Command Directorate of Air, Space and Information Operations, Robins AFB, Ga.
14. August 2017-present, Vice Commander, 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick AFB, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: master navigator
Flight hours: more than 4,200 (including more than 400 combat hours)
Aircraft flown: MC-130E, C-141B, C-130, T-43 and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Gallant Unit Citation
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device with six oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Southwest Asia Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
AF Longevity Service with four oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 3 'M' Devices with one oak leaf cluster
AF Training Ribbon
NATO Medal
Kuwait Liberation Medal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS
Reserve Officers Association
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant March 3, 1990
First Lieutenant March 3, 1992
Captain March 3, 1994
Major April 20, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel April 20, 2008
Colonel July 1, 2014
(Current as of August 2017)