Col Daniel M. Alford is the Commander of the 7th Operations Group, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. He commands the Air Force’s largest B-1 bomb group, a team of more than 300 Airmen, and has oversight of an annual budget of $1.7M. He is primarily responsible for organizing, training, and equipping his group to conduct combat operations, B-1 Formal Training, airfield operations, air traffic control, aircrew flight equipment, operations weather support, combat intelligence, crew communications, aviation resource management, electronic warfare, and mission training.
Col Alford graduated from Florida State University and received his commission from Det 145 in 2001. He completed JUNT at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida in 2003 prior to the B-1 FTU at Dyess AFB, Texas. Col. Alford graduated and instructed at the USAF Weapons School, 77 WPS, B-1 Division. He is a fully qualified JSO, having completed staff on The Joint Functional Component Command for Global Strike, a component of US Strategic Command. Prior to this assignment, Col Alford served as Chief, Combat Air Forces Division, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He has completed five deployments in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM/NEW DAWN, as well as Continuous Bomber Presence missions throughout the Pacific theater.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science, Political Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2011 Master Degree in Military Studies, American Military University, Charles Town, West Virginia
2013 Joint Professional Military Education II, Naval Support Activity Norfolk, Virginia
2020 Master Degree in Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2022 RQM 3100, Advanced Concepts and Skills for Requirments Management, Defense Acquisition University
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2001 – June 2003, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida
2. July 2003 – March 2004, Student, B-1 Flight Training Unit, 28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
3. April 2004 – April 2006, Weapons System Officer, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
4. May 2006 – November 2006, Scheduling Officer, Instructor WSO, 34 BS, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
5. December 2006 – December 2007, Evaluator Weapons Systems Officer, 28 OG, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
6. January 2008 – December 2008, Chief Evaluator Weapons System Officer, 28 OG, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
7. January 2009 – June 2009, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, 77th Weapons Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
8. June 2009 – January 2011, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 9th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
9. February 2011 – July 2012, Flight Commander, 77th Weapons Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
10. August 2012 – July 2015, J3 Operations Officer, Cruise Missile Support Activity Atlantic, NSA Norfolk, Virginia
11. August 2015 – Feb 2016, Assistant Director of Operations, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
12. March 2016 – May 2017, Director of Operations, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
13. June 2017 – May 2019, Commander, 23rd Training Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
14. June 2019 – May 2020, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
15. June 2020 – July 2021, Branch Chief, Strike System Requirement, the Pentagon, Arlintgon, Virginia
16. August 2021 – May 2023, Division Chief, Combat Air Force Requirements Division, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia
17. June 2023 – Present, Commander, 7th Operations Group, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2012 – July 2015, J3 Operations Officer, Cruise Missile Support Activity, NSA Norfolk, Virginia as a Major
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: More than 2,740, including more than 1,000 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-34C, T-1, T-39, T-43A, B-1B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 23, 2001
First Lieutenant May 23, 2003
Captain May 23, 2005
Major Dec 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2016
Colonel August 1, 2022