Col Shad K. Colgate is the Commander, 377th Maintenance Group, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. He is responsible for the Department of Defense’s largest Protection Level One weapons storage and maintenance facility. Colonel Colgate also oversees Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory, Airfield Management, Weather, Transient Alert, and conventional munitions support to all agencies on Kirtland Air Force Base.
Col Colgate graduated from Colorado State University in 1999 and earned his commission as a second lieutenant through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. He specialized in maintenance management for nuclear weapons, conventional munitions and fighter aircraft. Additionally, he served on both the U.S. Southern Command and U.S. European Command staffs and completed two combat deployments in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Prior to assuming his current position, he served as the Vice Commander of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.
EDUCATION
1996 Basic Freefall Parachutists School, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
1999 Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University
2000 Nuclear Munitions Officers Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2000 Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2002 Security Cooperation Management Overseas Course, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Air Force Combat Ammunition Planning and Production, Beale AFB, Calif.
2006 Maintenance Officers Intermediate Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2014 Master of Military Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Joint Professional Military Education Phase II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2018 Advanced Nuclear Concepts Course, Air Force Nuclear College, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2021 Senior Leader Nuclear Management, Air Force Nuclear College, Kirtland AFB, NM
ASSIGNMENTS
1. February 2000 – October 2002, Maintenance Flight Commander and Munitions Accountable Systems Officer, 898th Munitions Maintenance Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
2. October 2002 – September 2005, Caribbean Region Security Assistance Officer and Aide-De-Camp to the Deputy Commander, United States Southern Command, Miami, Fla.
3. September 2005 – October 2007, Materiel Flight Commander, Production Flight Commander, Munitions Accountable Systems Officer and Operations Officer, 48th Munitions Maintenance Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom (September 2006 – February 2007, Munitions Maintenance Fight Commander, 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron, Air Forces Central Command)
4. October 2007 – October 2008, Officer-In-Charge 494th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom (April 2008 – September 2008, Officer-In-Charge 494th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan)
5. October 2008 – June 2011, Director of Operations, 703rd Munitions Support Squadron, Volkel Air Base, Kingdom of the Netherlands
6. June 2011 – June 2013, Commander, 48th Munitions Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom
7. June 2013 – June 2014, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 2014 – July 2016, Joint Munitions Officer, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany
9. July 2016 – July 2017, Commander, 39th Maintenance Squadron, Incirlik AB, Turkey
10. July 2017 – August 2019, Deputy Commander, 90th Maintenance Group, Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
11. August 2019 – June 2021, Deputy Commander, 31st Maintenance Group, Aviano Air Base, Italy
12. June 2021 – March 2022, Vice Commander, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
13. March 2022 – Present, Commander, 377th Maintenance Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2002 – September 2005, Security Assistance Officer and Aide-De-Camp to the Deputy Commander, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Army Garrison Miami, Fla., as a first lieutenant and captain
2. June 2014 – July 2016, Joint Munitions Officer, U.S. European Command, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany, as a major and lieutenant colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with silver and bronze oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 15, 2000
First Lieutenant Jan. 15, 2002
Captain Jan. 15, 2004
Major Oct. 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2015
Colonel Oct. 1, 2021
(Current as of August 2022)