COLONEL CHRISTOPHER L. FORD
Col. Christopher L. Ford is the Deputy Commander, 164th Airlift Wing, Tennessee Air National Guard, Memphis, Tennessee. One of the Air National Guard’s six strategic airlift wings, the 164th is trained and equipped to provide rapid global mobility in C-17 aircraft supporting National Security Objectives. In peacetime, the 164th reports to the Governor of Tennessee providing emergency relief and support to civil defense authorities preserving peace, order and public safety. The Wing comprises approximately 1,000 personnel with over 300 military civil service and civilian employees.
Col. Ford received his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Virginia Tech in 2002. He completed undergraduate pilot training in Dec 2003 and has served as an instructor and evaluator pilot in the C-17A Globemaster III in Air Mobility Command and Air Education and Training Command. Prior to his current position, he was the Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force – Support Forces Antarctica, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
Col. Ford is a command pilot with more than 3,800 flying
hours in the C-17A. He has deployed to the CENTCOM AOR multiple times and operated the C-17 in every combat capability of the weapon system. He is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Squadron Officer’s School in 2009.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg, Va.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2009 Master of Science, Environmental Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala. 2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence 2020 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2021 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2022 Joint Task Force Staff Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2024 Leadership in Homeland Security Seminar, Harvard University, Cambridge, Ma.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2002–September 2002, Action Officer, ROTC Det 875, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Va
2. September 2002–February 2004, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla
3. February 2004–May 2004, Student, C-17 Initial Qualification Course, Altus AFB, Okla
4. May 2004–August 2008, C-17 Airdrop Instructor Pilot, 16th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C. (November 2005 – March 2006, April 2007 – Sep 2007, Pilot, 816th Expeditionary Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
5. August 2008-January 2010, Chief of Wing Airdrop Operations, C-17 Lead Airdrop Evaluator Pilot, 437th Operational Support Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C. (February 2009 – May 2009, Lead Airdrop Evaluator Pilot, 816th Expeditionary Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
6. January 2010-September 2010, Commander, Training Flight and C-17 Special Operations Evaluator, 16th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
7. September 2010–August 2011, C-17 Lead Airdrop Evaluator Pilot, 58th Airlift Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla
8. August 2011-March 2013, Chief of Group Standardization/Evaluation, 97th Operation Group, Altus AFB, Okla
9. March 2013–June 2014, Command Mobility Liaison and C-17 Evaluator Pilot, 155th Airlift Squadron, Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tenn
10. June 2014–Aug 2017, C-17 Evaluator Pilot and Flight Commander, Assistant Director of Operations, 155th Airlift Squadron, Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tenn
11. August 2017–March 2018, C-17 Evaluator Pilot and Director of Operations, 155th Airlift Squadron, Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tenn
12. March 2018–June 2019, C-17 Evaluator Pilot and Squadron Commander, 155th Airlift Squadron, Memphis Air National Guard Base, Tenn
13. July 2019–July 2021, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 164th Operations Group, Memphis ANGB, Tenn
14. July 2021–Sep 2025, Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force-Support Forces Antarctica, Commander 13th Air Expeditionary Group, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
15. Sep 2025–Nov 2025, Chief of Staff, Pacific Air Forces Operations Directorate(A3), Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
16. Nov 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander (DSG), 164 Airlift Wing, Memphis, TN and Chief of Staff (ADOS), Pacific Air Forces Operations Directorate(A3), Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jul 2021 – Sep 2025, Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force – Support Force Antarctica, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,000 with over 1,000 combat
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-1, and C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 2002
First Lieutenant May 29, 2004
Captain May 29, 2006
Major June 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel August 26, 2016
Colonel August 2, 2021
(CURRENT AS OF Jan 2026)