Colonel Christian D. Kane is Commander of the 325th Operations Group, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The 325th Operations Group is comprised of the 43d Fighter Squadron, 2d Fighter Training Squadron, 325th Operational Support Squadron, and 325th Training Support Squadron. The group mission is to train and project unrivaled combat airpower.
Colonel Kane is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Naval Postgraduate School, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, as well as a National Defense Fellow from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He completed pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, was a Distinguished Graduate of F-15C training and is a graduate of the Air Force Weapons School. He served as the 2d Fighter Squadron’s weapons officer and as the F-15C Division Commander, 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base.
Colonel Kane transitioned to the F-22 in 2010 and served as Director of Operations for the 8th Fighter Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico and commanded the 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron at Tyndall. Finally, he was the Chief of Combat Operations Division in the 607th Air Operations Center, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea prior to returning to Tyndall to command the 325th Operations Group.
Colonel Kane is a command pilot with more than 2,300 flight hours, primarily in the F-15C and F-22A. He is a veteran of Operations NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH, and NOBLE EAGLE.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, Management, US Air Force Academy 2001 Squadron Officer School
2008 Master of Science, Aviation Management, Embry-Riddle University 2008 Air Command and Staff College
2009 Master of Arts, Homeland Defense and Security, US Naval Postgraduate School
2010 Air War College
2016 Air Force Fellowship, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1995 - August 1996, student pilot, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. September 1996 - December 1996, student, Intro to Fighter Fundamentals, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. January 1997 - June 1997, student, F-15C Basic Course, 2d Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
4. June 1997 - February 2000, Chief of Training, 58th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
5. February 2000 - February 2001, Air Liaison Officer/Division Commander, 604th Air Support Operations Squadron, Camp Red Cloud, Republic of Korea
6. March 2001 - December 2003, Instructor Pilot/Flight Examiner/Flight Commander, 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
7. January 2004 - June 2004, student, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. June 2004 - December 2005, Weapons Officer, 2d Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
9. January 2006 - March 2007, F-15C Division Commander, 422d Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
10. March 2007 - March 2008, Aide de Camp, USAF Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev.
11. March 2008 - September 2008, Assistant Director of Operations, 561st Joint Tactics Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
12. September 2008 - December 2009, student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
13. January 2010 - April 2010, student, F-22 transition course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
14. May 2010 - May 2011, Director of Operations, 8th Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
15. June 2011 - June 2012, Director of Operations, 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
16. June 2012 - June 2014, Commander, 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
17. June 2014 - July 2015, Deputy Commander, 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
18. July 2015 - June 2016, Air Force Fellow, The Fletcher School, Tufts University, Medford, Mass.
19. June 2016 - April 2017, Chief, Combat Operations Division, 607th Air Operations Center, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
20. May 2017 - present, Commander, 325th Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot Flight hours: Over 2,300 Combat hours: 72
Aircraft flown: P-51D, T-41, T-37, T-38A/B, F-4C/E, F-15C/D/E, F-16D, F/A-18F, F-22
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korean Defense Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1995
First Lieutenant June 1997
Captain June 1999
Major July 2005
Lieutenant Colonel June 2010
Colonel September 2016
(Current as of Jan 2020)