Col. Robert C. Bearden is the Commander, Detachment 9, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. He is responsible for synchronizing installation and mission support capabilities, to include oversight, guidance, training, and resources in support of 70,000 personnel in 17 wings. Additionally, he manages personnel readiness, mission support manpower, financial services and resources, installation engineering, physical security, and base communications plant maintenance for the support of more than $24 billion in facilities and infrastructure at 23 continental U.S. and overseas en route locations.
Colonel Bearden earned his commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Oklahoma State University. He is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Naval War College and a career logistics officer who has served on the Air Staff and the U.S. Transportation Command staff. He has deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM with service in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Afghanistan.
Prior to this assignment, Colonel Bearden served as the 10th Air Base Wing Vice Commander, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. The wing, with a $150 million operating budget, provides base support and medical functions for over 4,000 academy cadets and a military community of 25,000 personnel. He has also held various positions in base logistics squadrons and commanded the 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Kunsan Air Base in the Republic of Korea, and the 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Holloman AFB, N.M. Under his leadership, the unit won the 2013 Daedalian Maj. Gen. Warren R. Carter Logistics Effectiveness Award as Best Logistics Readiness Squadron in the Air Force.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Master of Arts, Organizational Science, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, correspondence
2007 Intermediate Development Education In-residence Credit; Air Force Intern Program, Washington, D.C.
2012 Master's of Philosophy, Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Air War College, by correspondence
2014 Advanced Program in Logistics and Technology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2018 Master of Arts. National Security & Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2019 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1997 - July 1998, Assistant to the Commander, Air Force ROTC Det. 670, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla. (Student, undergraduate navigator training, NAS Pensacola, Fla.)
2. August 1998 - July 2001, Assistant Installation Deployment Officer, 354th Logistics Support Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
3. July 2001 - July 2003, Flight Commander and Installation Deployment Officer, Logistics Plans Flight, 49th Logistics Support Squadron, Flight Commander, Vehicle Management Flight, 49th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
4. August 2003 - May 2005, Air Force Intern, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
5. May 2005 - August 2005, Student, Advanced Logistics Readiness Officer’s Course, Fort Dix, N.J.
6. August 2005 - September 2006, Flight Commander, Vehicle Management Flight, 3rd LRS, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
7. October 2006 - August 2008, Operations Officer, 3rd LRS, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
8. September 2008 - June 2010, Air Force Logistics Readiness Functional Area Manager, Assistant Executive Officer, Director of Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. June 2010 - June 2011, Commander, 8th LRS, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
10. June 2011 - June 2012, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. June 2012 - June 2014, Commander, 49th LRS, Holloman AFB, N.M.
12. July 2014 - October 2015, Chief, Strategic Engagement Branch, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
13. October 2015 - July 2017, Chief, Strategic Initiatives, Commander’s Action Group USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, Ill.
14. July 2017 - June 2018, Student, U.S. Naval War College, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
15. June 2018 - July 2020, Vice Commander, 10th Air Base Wing, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
16. July 2020 - present, Commander, Det. 9, AFIMSC, Scott AFB, Ill.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2006 - September 2006, Chief, Air Movements, Special Operations Command Central, As Sayliyah, Qatar
2. November 2007 - May 2008, Chief, Fixed Wing Air, 53rd Joint Movement Control Battalion, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan
3. July 2014 - July 2017, Chief, Strategic Initiatives, USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, Ill.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER MAJOR AWARDS
Best Mobility/Logistics Thesis, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies 2012
Daedalian Maj. Gen. Warren R. Carter Logistics Readiness Award 2013 (Unit Award)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1997
First Lieutenant May 28, 1999
Captain May 28, 2001
Major February 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2012
Colonel April 1, 2018
(Current as of July 2020)