Colonel Douglas D. DeMaio is the Commander of the 187th Fighter Wing, Dannelly Field, Ala. As commander, he oversees the operations of over 1,400 personnel and 22 permanently assigned F-16C+ Fighting Falcons in support of the State of Alabama and the federal government. The wing also provides support to four geographically separated units.
Colonel DeMaio earned his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1991. Upon completion of Under Graduate Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, he was assigned to Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., as the 56th Transportation Squadron Vehicle Maintenance and Vehicle Operations flight commander. Upon completion of F-16 training at Luke AFB, he went on to serve in a variety of roles at the squadron, group and wing-level.
The colonel has served as a squadron commander, the director of staff and as the Director of the Deployable Air Operations Center. DeMaio attended the Eisenhower School for National Security at the National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C., where he earned his master’s in Long Term Strategy Development. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Vice Commander and Director of Doctrine Development at the Curtis E. LeMay Center, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
He is a command pilot with over 3,000 flight hours in the F-16 and a veteran of five combat deployments to Southwest Asia.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2001 Master of Aviation Sciences, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2004 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2005 Master of Military Arts & Sciences, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2007 Air War College by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Science Degree in Long Term Strategy Development, Eisenhower School for National Security, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1991 – October 1992, Student Pilot, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. October 1992 – October 1994, Vehicle Maintenance and Operations Flight Commander, 56th Transportation Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3. July 1995 – April 1996, Student, F-16 Basic Operational Course, 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. March 1996 – May 1997, Chief of Plans and Programs, 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea
5. May 1997 – January 2000, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Wing Chief of Scheduling, and Flight Commander, 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
6. January 2000 – September 2002, F-16 Flight Examiner, Instructor Pilot, Chief of Standards and Evaluations, Flight Commander, and Assistant Director of Operations, 21st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
7. August 2002 – June 2003, Instructor Pilot, and standards and evaluations liaison officer, 119th Fighter Squadron, Atlantic City Municipal Airport, N.J.
8. June 2003 – September 2004, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
9. September 2004 – May 2005, Student, School of Advanced Military Studies, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
10. June 2005 – June 2006, Chief, 7th Air Force Commander’s Action Group; Executive Officer to the 7th Air Force Vice Commander; Deputy Chief, Strategy Division, 607th Air Operations Center, Osan AB, ROK
11. Oct 2006 – June 2011, F-16 Flight Examiner, instructor pilot, and Chief of Standards and Evaluations, 20th Operations Group; Chief of Safety, 20th Fighter Wing; Director of Operations, 77th Fighter Squadron; Commander, 55th Fighter Squadron; and Director of Staff, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
12. June 2011 – July 2012, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2012 – July 2014, Director, NATO Deployable Air Operations Center, Poggio Renatico, Italy
14. August 2014 – August 2020, Vice Commander and Director of Doctrine Development, LeMay Center for Doctrine Development, Lessons Learned, and Education, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. November 2020 – present, Chief of Staff, Alabama Air National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Montgomery, Ala.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2012 - August 2014, Director, NATO Deployable Air Operations Center, Poggio Renatico, Italy, as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,100
Aircraft flown: F-16 A/B/C/D, AT-38, T-38, and T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with valor and four oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 29 May, 1991
First Lieutenant 29 May, 1993
Captain 29 May, 1995
Major 1 March, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel 1 March, 2007
Colonel 1 October, 2012
(Current as of June 2021)