Col Bissell is the Commander, 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. As the commander, he is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping more than 2,500 personnel to plan, lead, and conduct military rescue operations and missions to deny competitors and adversaries exploitation of isolated personnel for the largest rescue wing in the Air Force. The wing operates six HC-130J Combat King II aircraft, 16 HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, and Guardian Angel personnel across three geographically separated units in Arizona, Virginia, and Oregon.
Col Bissell received his commission from the University of Mississippi in 1995. He is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours. He has flown combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and served as Sandy 1 Mission Commander for the recovery of isolated personnel in hostile terrain.
Prior to his current assignment, Col Bissell was Commander, 710th Combat Operations Squadron, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Engineering, General Engineering, University of Mississippi
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2012 Master of Aeronautical Science, Aviation Safety, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla.
2016 Air War College, by correspondence
2020 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, NSA Hampton Roads, Va.
2024 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Mar 1996 - Nov 1997, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, TX
2. Nov 1997 - Jun 1998, Student, A-10 FTU, 358th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
3. Jun 1998 - Jun 1999, Squadron Assistant Program Officer, 25th FS, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
4. Jun 1999 - Jun 2000, Squadron Assistant Program Officer, 75th FS, Pope AFB, N.C.
5. Jun 2000 - Jan 2002, Chief Jump Battalion Air Liaison Officer, 75th FS, Pope AFB, N.C.
6. Jan 2002 - Mar 2003, Flight Commander, 75th FS, Pope AFB, N.C.
7. Mar 2003 - May 2004, Flying Safety Officer, 358th FS, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
8. May 2004 - Jun 2005, Assistant Dir of Operations / Safety Officer, 358th FS, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
9. Jun 2005 - Jun 2008, Standards / Evaluations Liaison Officer, 47th FS, Barksdale AFB, La.
10. Jun 2008 - May 2011, Flight Commander, 47th FS, Barksdale AFB, La.
11. May 2011 - Nov 2015, Security Cooperation & Exercises, Force Generation Center, Robins AFB, Ga.
12. Nov 2015 - Jan 2019, Plans and Policy Officer, 10th Air Force, NAS JRB Ft Worth, Texas
13. Jan 2019 - Jun 2019, Deputy Group Commander, 476th FG, Moody AFB, Ga.
14. Jun 2019 – Sep 2020, Commander, 76th FS, Moody AFB, Ga.
15. Sep 2020 - Jun 2023, Deputy Director, Joint & Combined Warfighting School, NSA Hampton Roads, Va.
16. Jun 2023 – Feb 2024, Deputy Commander, 710th Combat Operations Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
17. Feb 2024 – July 2024, Commander, 710th COS, Langley AFB, Va.
18. July 2024 – Present, Commander, 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Space Force Base, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: 2500
Aircrafts Flown: T-37, T-38, A-10A/A+/C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with one V Device/two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and two oak leaf clusters
Air Organizational Excellence Award one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one device
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 12, 1996
First Lieutenant January 12, 1998
Captain January 12, 2000
Major August 24, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel October 7, 2011
Colonel September 15, 2020
(Current as of July 2025)