Colonel Sergio E. Anaya is the Commander, 62nd Operations Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. He ensures the combat readiness of more than 700 active-duty military and civilian personnel, along with 40 permanently assigned C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to support worldwide combat and humanitarian airlift and airdrop operations. As the provider of the Prime Nuclear Airlift Forces, the 62nd OG is the only group in the Department of Defense tasked to airlift nuclear and nuclear-related cargo.
In addition, the 62nd OG serves as the primary active-duty unit in support of Operation DEEP FREEZE, partnering with Reserve, Guard, and civilian agencies to provide airlift support for the National Science Foundation’s U.S Antarctic Program.
Colonel Anaya graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1999 and earned a master’s degree in 2020 from the Johns Hopkins University. He is Latin America Foreign Area Officer (FAO), a graduate of the Chilean Air Command and Staff College in Santiago, Chile, and a Georgetown University National Defense Fellow.
Additionally, Colonel Anaya is a graduate of the USAF Weapons Instructor Course and a command pilot with more than 4,000 hours in the C-17A, C-21A, T-1, and T-37.
Col Anaya most recently served as a Military Assistant to the DoD Executive Secretary within the Office of the Secretary of Defense. In this capacity, Col Anaya managed and reviewed official correspondence for the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense, and served as a liaison with the White House, the National Security Council, and the interagency in support of Presidential support actions.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science degree in Basic Sciences, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 USAF Weapons Instructor Course, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2009 Masters of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2009 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Chilean Air Command and Staff College, Santiago, Chile
2013 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2014 Air War College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 National Defense Fellow, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2020 Master of Arts in Global Policy, Johns Hopkins University (SAIS), Washington, D.C
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1999 - June 2000, adjutant, 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy.
2. June 2000 - June 2001, student, undergraduate pilot training, Laughlin AFB, Texas.
3. June 2001 – June 2003, pilot scheduler, 14th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
4. June 2003 – June 2005, C-17A aircraft commander, Assistant Chief of Squadron Tactics, 14th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
5. June 2005 – June 2006, C-17A instructor aircraft commander, Chief of Safety, 7th Airlift Squadron, McChord Field, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
6. June 2006 – December 2007, C-17A evaluator aircraft commander, Readiness Flight Commander, 7th Airlift Squadron, McChord Field, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
7. December 2007 - July 2009, Weapons Officer, Assistant Operations Officer, 7th Airlift Squadron, McChord Field, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
8. July 2009 – August 2010, Wing Weapons and Tactics Flight Commander, 62nd Operations Support Squadron, McChord Field, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
9. August 2010 – December 2011, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 62nd Operations Group, McChord Field, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
10. December 2011 – March 2013, Student, Chilean Air Command and Staff College (Academia de Guerra Aérea), Santiago, Chile.
11. April 2013 – July 2014, Political-Military Affairs Officer (Colombia and Venezuela), South American Branch (J59), Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla.
12. July 2014 – August 2015, Special Assistant to the Commander, Commander's Action Group (CAG), Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla.
13. September 2015 – June 2017, Commander, Air Operations Squadron, HQ Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Il.
14. July 2017 – May 2018, National Defense Fellow, Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
15. May 2018 – June 2019, Executive Officer to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. June 2019 – June 2021, Military Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. June 2021 – Present, Commander, 62d Operations Group, Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 2013 – June 2014, Political-Military Affairs Officer (Colombia and Venezuela), South American Branch (J59), Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla.
2. July 2014 – August 2015, Special Assistant to the Commander, Commander's Action Group (CAG), Headquarters U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla.
3. June 2019 – Present, Military Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000 (930 combat hrs)
Aircraft flown: C-17A, C-21A, T-1, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak cluster
Air Medal with four oak clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Chilean Air Force Minerva Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 2, 1999
First Lieutenant Jun 2, 2001
Captain Jun 2, 2003
Major Feb 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel Jul 1, 2014
Colonel Aug 1, 2020
(Current as of Aug 2022)