Col. Samuel S. Wilson is the Vice Wing Commander, 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pennsylvania Air National Guard, Coraopolis, to include the wing’s geographically separated unit, the 258th Air Traffic Control Squadron, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. As Vice Wing Commander, he assists the Commander in all aspects of Wing administration to include: managing and supervising the wing and its subordinate units, ensuring combat readiness in the mobilization missions of Wing units, and the operation and maintenance of the Air National Guard property and facilities at the Pittsburgh International Airport and the Johnstown-Cambria County Airport.
Originally from Gaines, Pennsylvania, Col. Wilson received his commission in 1998 after graduating from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He completed undergraduate pilot training at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi, in 2000 and his first operational assignment was as a KC-135R/T pilot assigned to the 384th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Wichita, Kansas. His final active duty assignment was flying the KC-135 R/T as an evaluator pilot and Chief of Special Operations, 19th Air Refueling Group, Robins AFB, Georgia. After almost 10 years of active duty service, Col. Wilson joined the Pennsylvania Air National Guard as a KC-135T Aircraft Commander in 2008.
Col. Wilson has deployed several times in support of both combat and non-combat operations to include: SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, RESOLUTE SUPPORT, FREEDOMS SENTINEL, INHERENT RESOLVE, ODYSSEY DAWN, UNIFIED PROTECTOR, NOBLE EAGLE, and Pacific Tanker Task Force, Guam. Prior to his current position, Col. Wilson served as the Commander, 171st Operations Support Squadron, 171st Operations Group, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Behavioral Science, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1998 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2000 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Columbus, Miss.
2002 United States Air Force Flight Safety Officer School, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2003 KC-135 Aircraft Commander Course, Altus AFB, Okla.
2004 Squadron Officer School Residence/Correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 KC-135 Centralized Flight Instructor Course, Altus AFB, Okla.
2005 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, McConnell AFB, Kan.
2006 United States Air Force Advanced Instrument School, Lackland AFB, Texas
2007 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2018 Air War College, by correspondence
2018 Air National Guard Squadron Commander’s Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS 1. August 1998 – February 1999, Adjutant, 6th Air Refueling Squadron (ARS), Travis AFB, Calif.
2. February 1999 – March 2000, Undergraduate Pilot Training Student, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. September 2000 – August 2001, KC-135 Pilot, 384th ARS, McConnell AFB, Kan.
4. August 2001 – March 2003, Chief of Safety, KC-135 Pilot, 384th ARS, McConnell AFB, Kan.
5. March 2003 – January 2005, Wing Flight Safety Officer, 22nd Air Refueling Wing (ARW), McConnell AFB, Kan.
6. January 2005 – October 2005, Flight Commander, KC-135 Instructor Pilot, 384th ARS, McConnell AFB, Kan.
7. October 2005 – August 2006, Assistant Chief, Standardization Evaluation, Evaluator Pilot, 99th ARS, Robins AFB, Ga.
8. August 2006 – January 2007, Chief, Standardization and Evaluation, Evaluator Pilot, 99th ARS, Robins AFB, Ga.
9. January 2007 – March 2008, Chief, Special Operations, Evaluator Pilot, 19th Air Refueling Group, Robins AFB, Ga.
10. March 2008 – January 2020, KC-135 Instructor, Evaluator Pilot, Flight Commander, 146th ARS, Coraopolis, Pa.
11. January 2020 – July 2021, Commander, 171st Operations Support Squadron, Coraopolis, Pa.
12. July 2021 – Present, Vice Commander, 171st Air Refueling Wing, Coraopolis, Pa.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 6,400 hours including more than 2100 combat hours
Aircraft flown: KC-135R/T, T-37, T-1, B-717, A320
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with ten oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1998
First Lieutenant May 27, 2000
Captain May 27, 2002
Major November 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel November 1, 2014
Colonel July 14, 2021
(Current as of March, 2022)