Colonel Steven Byrum is the Commander at 100th Air Refueling Wing, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom, supporting four U.S. Air Force major command flying programs and more than 16,800 military, civilian, dependent, and retiree personnel. With 15 KC-135 aircraft, the wing is the only permanent assigned air refueling operation in the European theater.
Colonel Byrum is a 2001 graduate of Emory University, where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science. He commissioned from the Georgia Institute of Technology after earning a Master of Science in International Affairs. He has served in a variety of command and operational assignments, as a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Joint Service Chiefs’ Fellow, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies graduate, and is a distinguished graduate from National War College. Prior to assuming his current position, Col Byrum served as the Deputy Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, California. There he assisted the commander in directing the combined efforts of all wing operations and support activities associated with the worldwide air mobility mission for the C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster III and KC-46A Pegasus aircraft assigned to Travis AFB.
Col Steven S. Byrum is a command pilot with over 2,400 hours as a C-17A instructor aircraft commander. He has over 600 hours in combat, supporting Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, ENDURING FREEDOM, and INHERENT RESOLVE.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Arts, Emory University, Georgia
2003 Master of Science, Georgia Institute of Technology
2003 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2013 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2016 Master of Science in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2021 Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2003 - January 2004, Recruiting Officer, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia
2. January 2004 - December 2004, Student, Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Florida
3. December 2004 – March 2006, Student, Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma
4. March 2006 – July 2011, C-17A Instructor Aircraft Commander, Wing Executive Officer, and Pilot Flight Commander, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
5. July 2011 – October 2012, Plans and Strategy Flight Commander, Phoenix Mobility Officer, 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron, Travis AFB, California
6. October 2012 – July 2014, Chief, Wing Readiness, Assistant Director of Operations and Phoenix Mobility Officer, 573d Global Support Squadron, Travis AFB, California
7. July 2014 – July 2015, Air Force Strategic Policy Fellow, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s Strategic Studies Group, Washington D.C.
8. July 2015 – June 2016, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
9. July 2016 – June 2017, Airpower Strategist, Directorate of Strategy, Concepts, and Assessments, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
10. August 2017 – June 2018, Inspector General, 305th Air Mobility Wing, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey
11. June 2018 – June 2020, Commander, 6th Airlift Squadron, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey
12. July 2020 – June 2021, Student, National War College, Ft. McNaire, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2021 – July 2023, Branch Chief, Strategic Communications; Executive Assistant; and Deputy Director, Director’s Action Group, the Joint Staff, Directorate for Logistics (J4), Pentagon, Washington D.C.
14. July 2023 – July 2025, Deputy Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, California
15. July 2025 – Present, Commander, 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,400
Aircraft flown: T-34, T-1, C-17A, C-5, KC-10, KC-46, KC-135R/T
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two service stars
Iraqi Campaign Medal with three service stars
Korean Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 2003
First Lieutenant May 28, 2005
Captain May 28, 2007
Major October 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2016
Colonel April 1, 2022
(Current as of July 2025)