Colonel Sean M. Callahan serves as the Commander of the 317th Operations Group, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. He commands three squadrons, 400 personnel, and 28 C-130J aircraft engaged in worldwide combat aerial delivery and airland operations.
Col. Callahan entered the Air Force as a graduate of Officer Training School in 2001. He then attended Pilot Training and was selected as a T-1A First Assignment Instructor Pilot. From there he went on to Little Rock AFB where he led the first active duty C-130J OIF deployment. He was selected as initial C-130J cadre at Dyess AFB, Texas, and led the bed-down of 28 new aircraft. As a squadron commander, he led the 62d Airlift Squadron, producing over 350 aircrew annually for worldwide combat operations. He has also had a variety of tactical airlift, staff, and school assignments. Prior to his current position, the Colonel served as the United States Transportation Command Liaison Officer to United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. He is a command pilot with over 4,000 flight hours and is married with two children.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice, West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2009 Master of Science, Criminal Justice, American Military University, Charles Town, West Virgina
2013 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2015 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Leavenworth, Kansas
2023 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2001 - September 2002, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Mississippi
2. September 2002 - March 2003, Student, Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, San Antonio, Texas
3. March 2003 - June 2006, Executive Officer, Check Pilot, and Instructor Pilot 48th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Mississippi
4. June 2006 - March 2007, Student, C-130J Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
5. March 2007 - March 2010, 19th Operations Group Executive Officer, C-130J Evaluator Pilot, and Chief Pilot, 41st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB Arkansas
6. March 2010 - March 2012, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation and C-130J Evaluator Pilot, 40th Airlift Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
7. March 2012 - September 2012, Director of Operations, 39th Airlift Squadron and C-130J Evaluator Pilot, Dyess AFB, Texas
8. September 2012 - March 2013, Director of Operations, 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan
9. March 2013 - June 2014, Director of Operations, 40th Airlift Squadron and C-130J Evaluator Pilot, Dyess AFB, Texas
10. June 2014 - June 2015, Student, Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas
11. June 2015 - June 2017, Command T-1A Flight Examiner, T-1A Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, Directorate of Intelligence, Operations, and Nuclear Integration, HQ AETC, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
12. June 2017 - July 2018, Chief of Safety and C-130J Evaluator Pilot, 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
13. July 2018 - May 2020, Commander, 62nd Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
14. May 2020 - July 2020, Deputy Group Commander, 314th Operations Group, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
15. July 2020 - November 2021, Inspector General, 317th Airlift Wing, Dyess AFB, Texas
16. November 2021 - June 2022, Deputy Group Commander, 317th Operations Group, Dyess AFB, Texas
17. June 2022 - May 2024, United States Transportation Command Liaison Officer to United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
18. May 2024 - Present, Commander, 317th Operations Group, Dyess AFB, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 4,000
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1A, C-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two devices
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 24, 2001
First Lieutenant May 24, 2003
Captain May 24, 2005
Major Jan. 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2016
Colonel March 1, 2023
(Current as of July 2024)