Col. Jose A. "Abe" Rivas Jr. is the Interim Commander, Detachment 3, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Hurlburt Field, Florida. He is responsible for delivering installation and mission support capabilities to 11 Air Force Special Operations Command wings and units, serving more than 18,000 personnel and managing command infrastructure valued at $7.4 billion.
Col. Rivas also serves as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Chief of Security Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
Col. Rivas was commissioned in 1998 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of Michigan. He is a career Security Forces officer who has served in a variety of joint and Air Force assignments at the squadron, group, and major command-level. He has commanded a squadron, served as an operations officer, and held staff positions supporting nuclear security, NATO operations, and missions in the U.S. Central Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and Pacific Air Forces areas of responsibility. Prior to his current position, the colonel was the Interim Chief of Security Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
In his civilian capacity, Col. Rivas is a Managing Director with Accenture, leading large-scale strategic transformation initiatives for clients in the communications, media, technology and aerospace and defense industries.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Political Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2009 Master of Science, Leadership and Administration, Central Michigan University
2016 Master’s Degree, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 1999 – June 2001, Flight Commander, 99th Security Support Flight, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
2. June 2001 – July 2002, Flight Commander, 51st Security Forces Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
3. July 2002 – June 2003, Operations Officer, 332nd Security Forces Squadron, Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait
4. March 2003 – June 2003, Group Force Protection Officer, 332nd Air Expeditionary Group, Tallil Air Base, Iraq
5. June 2003 – July 2005, Commander, Security Forces Flight, 831st Munitions Support Squadron, Ghedi Air Base, Italy
6. August 2005 – March 2007, Operations and Training Officer, 5th Security Forces Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
7. March 2007 – January 2011, Individual Ready Reserve, Denver, Colo.
8. January 2011 – March 2013, Operations Officer, 459th Security Forces Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
9. April 2013 – May 2015, Commander, 459th Security Forces Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
10. June 2015 – July 2016, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. May 2015 – May 2018, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Chief, Nuclear Security Branch, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. May 2018 – October 2019, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Chief, Readiness Requirements Branch, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. October 2019 – September 2024, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director for Force Protection, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
14. October 2024 – Present, Individual Mobilization Augmentee, Chief of Security Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, and IMA to Chief Security Forces, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
15. June 2025 – September 2025, Interim Chief of Security Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base.
16. January 2026 – Present, Interim Commander, AFIMSC Detachment 3, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2019 – September 2024, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director for Force Protection, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Services Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device
Combat Readiness Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Air Forces Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 19, 1999
First Lieutenant January 19, 2001
Captain November 30, 2003
Major May 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel August 31, 2018
Colonel, August 1, 2024
(Current January 2026)