Brig. Gen. Melissa A. Coburn is commander, 452nd Air Mobility Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, March Air Reserve Base, Calif. As commander of the Air Force Reserve’s largest wing, with more than 4,000 personnel, nine C-17As and 14 KC-135Rs, she directs the support of worldwide airlift and air refueling operations. Brig. Gen. Coburn is also responsible for the daily operations of March ARB which supports active duty, National Guard and Reserve mission partners from the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines as well as Department of Homeland Security personnel with the Air and Marine Operations Center.
Brig. Gen. Coburn was commissioned through the United States Air Force Academy in 1992, and served 11 years on active duty, including a remote assignment to the Republic of Korea. While on active duty, she flew as a lead airdrop instructor in the C-141B, and as an evaluator pilot in the C-12J. She transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in February 2003. Brig. Gen. Coburn flew as a C-17 airdrop evaluator pilot and was the first Reservist to graduate from the C-17 Weapons Instructor Course in 2007.
Brig. Gen. Coburn’s previous assignments include 452nd Operations Group commander, March ARB, and Senior Executive Officer to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve/Commander, Air Force Reserve Command. She has more than 5,400 flying hours and 279 combat flying hours in support of operations in Hungary, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1999 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2003 Master’s degree in aeronautical science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2007 Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., C-17 Distinguished Graduate
2011 Air War College, by correspondence
2012 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2013 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2014 Masters of Arts, strategic studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1992 - April 1993, Quality Improvement Officer, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. April 1993 - April1994, undergraduate pilot training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
3. July 1994 - January 1999, executive officer / Current Operations planner / asst chief, Tactics, 13th Airlift Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
4. January 1999 - February 2000, Operations Group Stan/Eval pilot, 55th Airlift Flight, Osan Air Base, South Korea
5. February 2000 - February 2003, Current Operations cell chief / asst Director of Operations, 6 AS, McGuire AFB, N.J.
6. February 2003 - July 2007, pilot scheduler / chief, Reserve Current Operations / Operations Group executive officer / chief squadron Training, 732 AS, McGuire AFB, N.J.
7. July 2007 - December 2007, Weapons School student, 57th Weapons Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
8. December 2007 - February 2009, chief, Tactics 732 AS, McGuire AFB, N.J.
9. February 2009 - June 2010, Deputy Commander, 514th Operations Support Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
10. June 2010 - September 2010, Commander, 514 OSS, McGuire AFB, N.J.
11. September 2010 - July 2013, Operations Officer, 701 AS, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
12. July 2013 - June 2014 student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. June 2014 - August 2015, Executive Officer to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, Executive Officer to the Commander Air Force Reserve Command, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
14. August 2015 – January 2016, Deputy Director, Mobilization Utilization, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. January 2016 – August 2017, Director, Global Force Management and Mobilization Utilization, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. August 2017 – March 2019, Commander, 452nd Operations Group, March ARB, Calif.
17. March 2019 - present, Commander, 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March ARB, Calif.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2015 – January 2016, Deputy Director, Mobilization Utilization, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
2. January 2016 – August 2017, Director, Global Force Management and Mobilization Utilization, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: more than 5,400, including 279 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, C141B, C-12J, C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
AF Outstanding Unit Award with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with bronze service star
Kosovo Campaign Medal with bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short Tour
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
AF Longevity Service Award with four oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (pistol)
Air Force Training Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1992
First Lieutenant May 27, 1994
Captain May 27, 1996
Major Jan. 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 14, 2008
Colonel June 20, 2014
Brigadier General December 9, 2019
(Current as of January 2020)