Colonel Robert L. Bartlow Jr. is the Chief of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center Natural Disaster Recovery Division, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. He leads an organization supporting a $6 billion, multi-year planning, programming, design, and construction effort to rebuild Tyndall following Hurricane Michael in 2018 and Offutt Air Force Base following a March 2019 flood.
Colonel Bartlow graduated from Midwest City High School, Midwest City, Oklahoma, attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman and was commissioned upon graduation through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1999. He is a command civil engineer and has served a variety of operational and staff assignments at the squadron, numbered Air Force, field operating agency and headquarters Air Force levels.
Prior to this assignment, Colonel Bartlow served as Commander, 8th Mission Support Group, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, where he was responsible for the leadership and management of five diverse squadrons providing base support functions for over 2,700 active-duty Airmen and Soldiers.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.
2000 Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2012 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2020 Master of Science in Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1999 – June 2000, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Civilian Institute Program, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.
2. July 2000 – June 2003, Programmer and Chief of SABER, 354th Civil Engineer Squadron, Eielson AFB, Alaska
3. June 2003 – May 2006, Pavement Evaluation Team Chief, Engineering Support Directorate, Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
4. May 2006 – June 2008, Chief of Readiness, Operations and Plans, Installations and Mission Support Directorate (A7), Headquarters Seventh Air Force, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
5. June 2008 – June 2011, Director of Operations and Deputy Commander, 554th RED HORSE, Andersen AFB, Guam (March 2009 – October 2009, Commander 809th Expeditionary RED HORSE, Kandahar AB, Afghanistan)
6. June 2011 – June 2012, Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
7. July 2012 – May 2014, Strategic Basing Program Manager, Directorate of Programs, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs (A8), Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. June 2014 – June 2016, Commander, 611th Civil Engineer Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
9. June 2016 – July 2018, Commander, 18th Civil Engineer Squadron, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
10. August 2018 – July 2019, Chief, Comprehensive Program Development Branch, Planning and Integration Directorate, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
11. August 2019 – May 2020, Student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
12. June 2020 – June 2021, Chief, Strategic Design and Construction Division, Facilities and Engineering Directorate, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
13. June 2021 – June 2022, Commander, 8th Mission Support Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
14. July 2022 – Present, Chief, Natural Disaster Recovery Division, Facilities and Engineering Directorate, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
NATO Medal (International Security Assistance Force)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Colonel April 1, 2020
(Current as of July 2022)