Col. Raymond E. Kerr is the Commander of Detachment 8, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The Detachment provides vital installation and mission support to Air Combat Command, overseeing 15 Air Force installations and three numbered Air Forces commands with an annual budget of approximately $1 billion. The Detachment’s cross-functional team integrates security forces, civil engineering, base communications, logistics readiness, installation ministry programs, public affairs, services, operational acquisition and financial management to directly support the warfighter.
Col. Kerr entered the Air Force in May 2004 upon graduation from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has served for 20 years in various civil engineering and base operating support roles at the squadron, center, major command, Air Force headquarters and combatant command levels. He has commanded three times at the squadron level and once at the group level.
Col. Kerr’s unique experiences include serving over four years in a combat zone spanning seven tours and serving as Recovery Incident Commander for 11 weeks during the only B-2 mishap. Furthermore, he has served on the commander’s action group for Air Combat Command and as the Headquarters Commandant for U.S. Central Command. Additionally, Col. Kerr led the first real world employment of a lead wing’s air base squadron to Task Force Holloman later commanding the 487th Expeditionary Mission Support Group, responsible for base operating support for 1,600 Airmen and overseeing cradle to grave requirements for reception and integration into U.S. society for over 7,700 Afghan refugees. Prior to his current assignment, Col Kerr served as the senior Air Force National Technology Fellow at Oak Ridge National Lab.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Oakland, Pa.
2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Top Third Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Science, Military Air & Science (Leadership), Air University, by correspondence
2013 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2017 Air Command and Staff College (resident), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Joint PME Level II (resident), Norfolk, Va.
2022 Air War College, by correspondence
2025 Air Force National Lab Fellow, Oak Ridge National Lab, Tenn.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2004 – June 2006, Civil/Structural Project Engineer, 99th Civil Engineer Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. (January 2006 – May 2006, Project Engineer, 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Iraq)
2. July 2006 – January 2008, Chief, SABER Construction Team, 99th CES, Nellis AFB, Nev. (March 2007 – October 2007, Director of Logistics, 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, Iraq)
3. January 2008 – April 2009, Fight Commander, Readiness and Emergency Management Flight, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam (September 2008 – March 2009, Deputy Chief of Afghan National Security Forces Provisional Facility Program, Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix J7 Engineering, Afghanistan)
4. April 2009 – July 2009, Chief, Construction Management, 36th CES, Andersen AFB, Guam
5. July 2009 – September 2010, Flight Commander, Resources Flight, 36th CES, Joint Region Marinas, Guam (March 2010 – September 2010, Chief of Engineering and Construction, 877th Prime BEEF Squadron, Afghanistan)
6. October 2010 – April 2012, A7XO Action Officer/RED HORSE Program Manager, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va. (April 2011 – May 2011, ACC Base Operating Support Evaluation Team, Afghanistan)
7. April 2012 - May 2014, ACC Commander’s Action Group-Strategic Communication, ACC, JB Langley-Eustis, Va. (July 13 - March 14, Officer-in-Charge, 130th & 243rd Construction Management Team, 43rd and 82nd Sustainment Brigades, Central Command Material Retrograde Element, Afghanistan)
8. May 2014 - July 2016, Real Property and Air Force Common Output Level Standards Program Manager, Air Force Directorate of Civil Engineers, Pentagon, Va.
9. July 2016 - June 2017, Student & Lemay Center Intern, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 2017 - July 2018, Commander and Base Civil Engineer, 39th Civil Engineer Squadron, Incirlik AB, Turkey
11. July 2018 - July 2019, Engineer Staff Officer-Current Operations Division, CJ4, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
12. July 2019 - July 2020, Headquarters Commandant, CCHC, USCENTCOM, MacDill AFB, Fla.
13. August 2020 - July 2022, Commander & Base Civil Engineer, 4th Civil Engineer Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB N.C. (August 2021 - February 2022, Commander, 487th Expeditionary Mission Support Group, Task Force-Holloman, N.M.)
14. August 2022 - June 2023, Branch Chief, Strategy and Plans, AFIMSC/XZPS, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
15. June 2023 – June 2024, Center Executive Officer, AFIMSC, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
16. June 2024 – June 2025, Air Force Fellow, Air Force National Laboratories Technical Fellowship Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
17. July 2025 – present, Commander, AFIMSC Detachment 8, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2008 – March 2009, Deputy Chief of Afghan National Security Forces Provisional Facility Program, CJTF Phoenix, Afghanistan, as a captain
2. July 2013 – March 2014, Officer-in-Charge, Construction Management Team, CENTCOM Material Retrograde Element, Afghanistan, as a captain
3. July 2018 – July 2019, Engineer Staff Officer- Current Operations Division, USCENTCOM, MacDill AFB, as a major and lieutenant colonel
4. July 19 – August 2020, Headquarters Commandant, HQ USCENTCOM, MacDill AFB, as a lieutenant colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2004-2014 7-time CGO/FGO of the Quarter
2006-2010 3-time CGO of the Month
2006-2009 3-time Maj. Gen. Lupia Military Manager of the Year
2009 36th CES CGO of the Year
2011 HQ ACC/A7 Civil Engineer CGO of the Year
2012 ACC Maj. Gen. William D. Gilbert Award, Officer Category, Runner-up
2012 HQ ACC Director of Staff CGO of the Year
2015 AF/A4 FGO of the Year
2017 USAFE/AF-AFRICA Best Civil Engineer Squadron, Maj. Gen. Curtin Award, Commander
2020 ACC Best Civil Engineer Squadron, Maj. Gen. Curtin Award, Commander
2022 4th FW Sijan Nominee, Senior Officer
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Major April 1, 2014
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 2019
Colonel April 1, 2025
(Current August 2025)