Colonel Edward J. Irick III

Col. Edward J. Irick III is the Vice Commander, 37th Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, the largest training wing in the U.S. Air Force, comprised of more than 24,000 students and permanent party Airmen. He assists the wing commander in leading the wing known as the "Gateway to the Air Force," consisting of three groups and one inter-American academy, that trains and educates approximately 44,000 joint and international students annually, to include all Department of Defense Military Working Dogs.

Colonel Irick entered the Air Force in 1999, receiving his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy. After his initial assignment as a contracting specialist, he transitioned to the combat rescue officer career field and earned his maroon beret from the Combat Rescue Officer School at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. He has been instrumental in the stand-up of the Guardian Angel weapon system and the development of the Combat Rescue Officer career field, serving in a variety of leadership and staff positions at the squadron, major command, Headquarters Air Force, and Joint Staff level. He has commanded at the squadron level in both garrison and expeditionary capacity. Prior to his current assignment, he was a student in the Joint Warrior Studies Seminar, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.    

EDUCATION

1999 Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2000 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2016 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2021 Master of Strategic Studies, Joint Warfighting Concentration, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

ASSIGNMENTS

  1. July 1999 – August 2000, Advisor to the Registrar, Minority Affairs, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
  2. September 2000 – September 2002, Contracting specialist, 48th Contracting Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
  3. October 2002 - June 2004, Student, Combat Rescue Officer School, Detachment 1, 342nd Training Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
  4. July 2004 - July 2006, Team Commander, Flight Commander, Assistant Director of Operations-Training, 48th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
  5. August 2006 – July 2009, Branch Chief, Guardian Angel Requirements, Combat Search and Rescue Division, Directorate of Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. (January - June 2009, Deputy Director, United States Central Command Joint Personnel Recovery Center, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
  6. July 2009 – September 2010, Guardian Angel Weapon System Program Element Monitor and Combat Rescue Officer Career Field Manager, Special Operations and Personnel Recovery Division, Headquarters Air Force, Washington, D.C.
  7. October 2010 – July 2011, Deputy Director of Action Group for the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Plans, and Requirements (A3/5), Headquarters Air Force, Washington, D.C.
  8. July 2011 – May 2013, Commander, 48th Rescue Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. (two deployments as Commander, 46th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, and 48th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, Trapani AB, Italy)
  9. May 2013 – May 2014, Executive Officer to the Commander, United States Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
  10. July 2014 – April 2016, Chief, Director’s Action Group and Deputy Director of Requirements, Technology Integration, Lessons Learned Directorate (J-9), Joint Personnel Recovery Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
  11.  April 2016 – July 2018, Executive Assistant and Special Assistant to the Director, Joint Force Development (J-7), the Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C. (April - July 2018, Director, Combined Personnel Recovery Center- Afghanistan, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)
  12.  July 2018 – July 2020, Deputy Chair and Instructor, Department of International Security, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
  13.  July 2020 – June 2021, Student, Joint Warrior Studies Seminar, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
  14.  July 2021 – present, Vice Commander, 37th Training Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

  1. July 2014 – April 2016, Chief, Director’s Action Group and Deputy Director of Requirements, Technology Integration, Lessons Learned Directorate (J-9), Joint Personnel Recovery Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
  2. April 2016 – April 2018, Executive Assistant & Special Assistant to the Director, Joint Force Development (J-7), the Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating:  Non-rated aircrew, static-line and military freefall parachutist
Aircraft:  HC-130P, C-130E, HH-60G, and CH-47

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal with combat device
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
(Others not listed)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant  June 2, 1999
First Lieutenant  June 2, 2001
Captain  June 2, 2003
Major  Feb. 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel  July 1, 2014
Colonel  Aug. 1, 2020

(Current as of July 2021)