Lt. Col. Susanne L. Lonsberry is the commander, 7th Airlift Squadron, 62nd Operations Group, 62nd Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. She leads 150 Airmen to provide responsive and professional global mobility for the United States and allies, overseeing the training and readiness of C-17A combat aircrews. The 7th Airlift Squadron is responsible to national leadership for securing U.S. interests through the effective employment of C-17A airland and airdrop capabilities across the full range of military operations, to include support to contingency, aeromedical, and humanitarian missions.
Lt. Col. Lonsberry received her commission as a Distinguished Graduate from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Texas State University in December 2003. As a PHOENIX REACH crossflow aviator, she has served in several capacities, to include Aircraft Commander in the KC-10A and Instructor Pilot in the C-17A and T-6A. Lt. Col. Lonsberry has deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM in the KC-10A and C-17A, achieving over 150 combat and combat support sorties.
Prior to her current assignment and as a graduate of the U.S. Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, Lt. Col. Lonsberry served as chief, Strategy Plans Team for United States Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa. In this role, she led the Joint Force Air Component Commander’s crisis action and contingency planning in support of 104 nations in campaign development and execution.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Arts in Music, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas
2004 Air and Space Basic Course
2009 Master of Arts in Education, Trident University International, Correspondence
2011 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence
2016 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
2017 Master of Military Art and Science, Army School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
2018 Air War College, Correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2004 – August 2005, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2. September 2005 – December 2009, KC-10 Aircraft Commander and Executive Officer, 2nd Air Refueling Squadron, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey
3. December 2009 – May 2013, T-6 Instructor Pilot, Wing Executive Officer and Flight Commander, 84th and 434th Flying Training Squadrons, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
4. June 2013 – June 2015, C-17 Instructor Aircraft Commander, Assistant Operations Officer and Chief Pilot, 7th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
5. June 2015 – June 2016, Student, US Army Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, Kansas
6. June 2016 – June 2017, Student, US Army School of Advanced Military Studies, Ft Leavenworth, Kansas
7. July 2017 – June 2019, Chief, Strategy Plans Team and Chief, Strategy Guidance Team, 603rd Air Operations Center, Ramstein AB, Germany
8. June 2019 – May 2020, Chief, Wing Safety, 62nd Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
9. May 2020 – current, Commander, 7th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,400, including over 1,000 combat hours
Aircraft flown: KC-10A, T-6A, C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 29 Dec 2003
First Lieutenant 29 Dec 2005
Captain 29 Dec 2007
Major 01 Dec 2013
Lieutenant Colonel 01 Sep 2018
(Current as of May 2020)