Col. Robert “Allen” King is currently assigned as the Commander of the 117th Air Refueling Wing, Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Birmingham, Alabama. He is responsible for providing leadership and direction for over 1000 military professionals as well as overseeing all operational aspects in support of Air Mobility Command and the 117th Air Refueling Wing’s mission of performing global air refueling, airlift and aeromedical evacuation in direct support of the Air Force’s Global Reach, Global Power missions.
Col. King began his Air Force career in 1985 as an Honor Graduate from Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the USAF through the Academy of Military Science in September 1993 and graduated from Undergraduate Navigator Training in June 1994. He was a Distinguished Graduate from Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1999 at Columbus AFB, Mississippi and is a Command Pilot with over 4,800 hours. Col. King has extensive NATO experience directing Tanker and Airlift aircraft at Various Combined Air Operation Centers and has served in leadership positions as staff and crew in multiple Operations across the Globe. Prior to assuming his current position Col. King served as Vice Commander of the 117th Air Refueling Wing, and (deployed) Commander of the 385th Air Expeditionary Group.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science degree, University of Alabama at Birmingham 2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Al.
2003 Masters of Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Worldwide Campus 2004 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Al.
2009 NATO Staff Officer Orientation Course, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2013 Reserve Component National Security Course, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 2014 Air War College, by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Al.
2015 NATO Senior Reserve Officers Course, Oberammergau, Germany
2017 National Guard Commanders Development Course, Joint Base Andrews, MD.
2019 Senior Leader Nuclear management Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
2020 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt AFB, Fl.
2020 Wing Commanders Course (Virtual), Maxwell AFB, Al.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 1986–September 1989, Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Specialist, 524th Training Squadron, (F-111D) CannonAFB, N.M.
2. October 1989–August 1993, Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Specialist, Crash and Recovery Team, 117th ConsolidatedAircraft Maintenance Squadron (RF-4C) Sumpter Smith ANG Base, Birmingham, Al.
3. October 1993–June 1994, Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph AFB, Tx.
4. July 1994–January 1999, KC-135R Navigator, Instructor Navigator, 106th Air Refueling Squadron, Sumpter Smith ANGBase, Birmingham, Al.
5. January 1998–April 1998, Tanker Director, Combined Air Operations Center 7, Vicenza, Italy
6. February 1999–February 2000, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
7. August 2003–December 2003, Senior Tanker Director, Combined Air Operation Center 5, Poggio Renatico, Italy
8. January 2003–December 2012, KC-135R Aircraft Commander, Instructor Pilot, Evaluator Pilot, 106th Air Refueling Squadron, Sumpter Smith ANG Base, Birmingham, Ala.
9. March 2011–May 2011, Tanker Battle Staff, Combined Air Operation Center 7 and 5, Izmir, Turkey and Poggio Renatico, Italy
10. January 2012–November 2013, Chief of Standards and Evaluations, 117th Operations Group, Sumpter Smith ANG Base, Birmingham, Ala.
11. December 2013–October 2014, Chief of Wing Safety, 117th Air Refueling Wing, Sumpter Smith ANG Base, Birmingham, Ala.
12. October 2014–March 2016, Commander, 106th Air Refueling Squadron, Sumpter Smith ANG Base, Birmingham, Ala.
13. March 2016–December 2017, Commander, 117th Operations Group, Sumpter Smith ANG Base, Birmingham, Ala.
14. December 2017–August 2020, Vice Commander, 117th Air Refueling Wing, Sumpter Smith Joint NG Base, Birmingham, Ala.
15. November 2018 – April 2019 (deployed) Commander, 385th Air Expeditionary Group, CENTCOM AOR
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,800
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1, KC-35R/T, C-17
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with one silver and three oak leaf clusters
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Iraq Campaign Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Basic Military Training Honor Graduate
NATO medal
(Current as of Aug 2020)