Joel Peterson

Joel graduated summa cum laude from the University of Idaho in Business in 1983 and worked in sales for several years after college. Then Colonel Peterson entered the U.S. Air Force through its Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, where he was commissioned as an officer in the summer of 1989. Initial career specialty training in transportation at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, TX, and concluded in early fall.

His first duty assignment was at Hellenikon Air Base, Athens, Greece, as Officer-in-Charge of Air Freight, and later in the same position in Air Passenger Movements. The stay there also allowed plenty of sightseeing, experience the rich Hellenic culture, learn a bit of the Greek language and fall in love with their cuisine.

Colonel Peterson’s next assignment landed him at Royal Air Force Bentwaters in 1990. He took on the mantle of Plans Officer and Vehicle Operations Officer for 81st Transportation Squadron. Therein, he worked with many outstanding Brits. Much like Greece, Britain was a wonderful place to visit castles and take in historic sites in London and the surrounding countryside.

Colonel Peterson was chosen to earn a master’s degree in business administration, with concentration in logistics management. The family flew back to the United States and drove to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. He graduated from the Air Force Institute of Technology as a Distinguished Graduate and National Dean’s List member in 1993.

After squadron officer’s school, the family arrived in Hawaii in 1994. As Chief of Transportation for Air Mobility Command’s (AMC) new 615th Air Mobility Support Group, Colonel Peterson and his staff provided functional expertise, headquarters support and problem resolution for AMC, the group commander and his 2000-people strong organization in the Pacific, from Alaska to Australia. In conjunction with AMC staff, he also accomplished key work to stand up several contracted air terminal operations, and the management/oversight program that ensured funding delivered required performance.

Colonel Peterson and family arrived at Laughlin Air Force Base in the beginning of 1997.. As Chief of Transportation for the 47th Flying Training Wing, a primary pilot training base, he and his small staff performed contract oversight for the two transportation contracts. He also coordinated support for several Joint Task Force 6 deployments doing counter-drug missions along the Mexican border. This led to the wing commander raising him to the staff as his executive officer, a great but taxing job. A year later, Colonel Peterson found himself sitting in the Crisis Action Team working logistics issues while Del Rio’s greatest flood (water to the bellies of T-37 aircraft on the flight line) ravaged the town and base. His crowning work achievement was winning the Lance P. Sijan award for the entire Air Force.

Colonel Peterson’s former wing commander at Laughlin brought him to Air Education and Training Command (AETC) in October 1998, located at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. From there, he was picked for special duty in Washington, D.C., working logistics issues for the NATO 50th anniversary conference and celebration. Upon returning, he took on the mantle of Program Manager for the Command’s realignment actions, and coordination with Air Force Material Command and the city’s redevelopment agency. He kept the Command’s senior leaders informed, and executed daily communications and coordination with a multitude of players. He ran several conferences that brought together functional experts for planning and accomplishing acquisition of an airfield, real property, property, personnel and funding, culminating in completion of the Congressional mandate.

Subsequent to earning a second master’s at Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, AL, in 2002, Colonel Peterson was selected to be the 12th Transportation Squadron Commander at Randolph Air Force Base. Absolutely one of the best jobs in the Air Force, he led the unit in providing transportation and deployment support to four major headquarters and four dozen units. He piloted many benchmark programs and processes for the wing, collected award after award, ensured his enlisted personnel won many awards, and wrapped up his tour by securing AETC’s trophy as its best Transportation Squadron. Finally, as two squadrons and a wing agency were civilianized, Colonel Peterson has the honor of being the last 12th Transportation Commander.

On to Air Staff at the Pentagon in 2003 in the nation’s capital, Colonel Peterson initially directed the Air Force War Reserve Material Program and Policy as its Chief. However, the Air Force’s Programs Directorate soon came calling for him to direct C-130 programming for its Global Mobility Division, making numerous adjustments in the Future Year’s Defense Program (FYDP) for the assorted versions of the aircraft. However, when the division chief needed a new chief of staff, he tapped Colonel Peterson for the position, where he directed the rest of the division’s programmers in adjusting and re-programming the FYDP for their airframes. Although an interesting job touching most Air Force functions, interacting with the most senior Air Staff leaders and visiting Congressional offices, it was a demanding job with long hours and time away from family. He was happy to gain ~500 hours a year back into family life when he was selected to be an OSD Transportation Fellow (the old Professional Enhancement Program). On the nonwork side, there are LOTS and LOTS of things to do and see in Washington, D.C. He and the family enjoyed those greatly and have fond memories of them.

Putting the Pentagon in the rearview mirror, they were overjoyed to return to Hawaii in late July 2006. There Colonel Peterson entered a joint tour as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations at 599th Transportation Brigade, providing headquarters support to three surface movement battalions, operational support to 25th Infantry Division, and Pacific theater commercial sealift coordination from Alaska to Australia and the U.S. mainland. In addition to semiannual trips to Korea to exercise portions of relevant operations plans, he deployed to Southwest Asia in late 2007 as the Deputy Commander for the 595th Transportation Brigade, which handled 97% of deploying and redeploying equipment and supplies for OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM forces. What an interesting place, landscape and cultures, which don’t always match what’s “advertised.”

After nearly 21 years’ service, Colonel Peterson retired from the U.S. Air Force in early 2010. His medals from service include: Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Brother Peterson is married with 3 children. He recently moved back to his home town of Parma, ID.