Colonel Lee. R. Bouma

Col. Lee Bouma is the Commander, 173d Fighter Wing, Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base, Oregon. Col. Bouma commands the sole F-15C Formal Training Unit in the United States Air Force. As such, he leads over 1,050 personnel including the 110-member active association from Luke Air Force Base and is responsible for 23 total inventory and 26 primary assigned F-15 aircraft.

The Colonel completed basic training in July 1997 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas followed by completion of aircraft maintenance technical training in June 1998. He graduated from Montana State University in 2002 and was commissioned in November 2002. Col. Bouma graduated from undergraduate pilot training in March 2004 as a distinguished graduate. He continued his training and attended the F-16C course where he was recognized as the class distinguished graduate. Col. Bouma transitioned to the F-15C, graduating in February 2009. In June 2014 he completed C-130H training, becoming an aircraft commander, and was again recognized as a distinguished graduate.

Col. Bouma has flown 22 combat sorties in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and has over 75 hours ofcombat flight time. Further, in 2016 he supported operations in the Netherlands as an F-15C Instructor Pilot. Additionally, Col. Bouma has supported contingencies in South Korea. Prior to his current position, the Colonel was the Commander, 173d Maintenance Group, Kingsley Field ANGB, Oregon.

EDUCATION

2002 Bachelor of Science, Business Management, Montana State University-Bozeman

2002 Academy Of Military Science, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn.

2009 Squadron Officer Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence

2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

 

 ASSIGNMENTS

1. June 1997 – July 1997, Basic Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas

2. August 1997 – December 1997, Trainee, 120th Fighter Wing, Great Falls, Mont.

3. January 1998 – June 1998, Aircraft Maintenance School, Sheppard AFB, Texas

4. July 1998 – September 2002, F-16 Crew Chief, 120 FW, Great Falls, Mont.

5. October 2002 – November 2002, Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn.

6. December 2002 – February 2003, Project officer, 120 FW, Great Falls, Mont.

7. March 2003 – April 2004, student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.

8. May 2004 – July 2004, student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Moody AFB, Ga.

9. August 2004 – May 2005, F-16C Replacement Training Unit, Kelly Field, Texas

10. June 2005 – August 2008, Assistant Weapons Officer/Alert Pilot, 186th Fighter Squadron, Great Falls, Mont. (February 2008 – May 2008, Fighter Pilot, 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, Balad Air Base, Iraq)

11 September 2008 – March 2009, F-15C Transition Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.

12. April 2009 – November 2013, Chief of Scheduling/Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 186 FS, Great Falls, Mont.

13. December 2013 – June 2014, C-130H Transition Course, Little Rock AFB, Ark.

14. July 2014 – February 2015, Chief of Training, 186th Airlift Squadron, Great Falls, Mont.

15. March 2015 – May 2016, Chief of Training, 114 FS, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.

16. June 2016 – June 2018, Chief of Stan/Eval, 173d Operations Group, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.

17. June 2018 – September 2020, Commander, 173d Maintenance Squadron, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.

18. September 2020 – June 2021, Deputy Commander, 173d Mission Support Group, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.

19. June 2021 – May 2022, Commander, 173d Maintenance Group, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.

20. May 2022 – Present, Commander, 173 FW, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Senior Pilot              

Flight hours: 2200 hours    

Aircraft Flown: F-16B/C/D, F-15 C/D, C-130H1/2/3
 

MAJOR AWARDS and DECORATIONS

Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster

Air Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal

Air Force Achievement Medal

 

 OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

 2004 Distinguished Graduate, Under Graduate Pilot Training

2005 Distinguished Graduate, F-16C RTU

2014 Distinguished Graduate, C-130H RTU

 

 EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant Nov. 22, 2002

First Lieutenant Nov. 22, 2004

Captain Jan. 24, 2007

Major Feb. 25, 2011

Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 5, 2017

Colonel June 24, 2021

 (Current as of January 2024)