Patrick Rhatigan – 19th Airlift Wing Commander At Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas

The Commander of the 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock AFB, Colonel Patrick J Rhatigan is highly regarded for his selfless service. He is a self-directed officer with sound technical skills, good judgment, and a strong operational focus. As the Commander of 19 AW, he takes care of all aspects of organizational performance and success, including leadership development, operations for 34 C-130 aircraft worth $1.2B, budget planning and execution, and infrastructure worth $3.5B.

Academic Background

Col. Patrick Rhatigan has completed his studies from some of the most prestigious institutions in the country. In 1991, he received his Bachelor's degree in English from the United States Air Force Academy. From 2003 to 2004, he attended Air Command and Staff College to do his Master's in Military Operational Art and Science. Five years later in 2009, he went on to attend National War College and completed his Master's degree in National Security Strategy.

Some Of His Significant Previous Positions

Colonel Patrick J Rhatigan took charge of Little Rock Air Force Base’s 19th Airlift Wing on July 2013. Before that, he was the 379th Expeditionary Operations Group commander at an undisclosed base in Southwest Asia. During his one-year deployment there, he commanded a diverse expeditionary operations group providing airspace control, inflight air refueling, combat aerial delivery, aeromedical evacuation, operational support airlift, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, & close air support throughout US Central Command’s area of responsibility. Some other roles Patrick J Rhatigan served during his career are that of the Military Assistant to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs at Office of the Secretary of Defense; 93rd Air Refueling Squadron Commander, Fairchild AFB, WA; and Speechwriter to the Secretary of the Air Force at "Office of the Secretary of the Air Force". He also worked for one year in the Mobility Programs Integration Branch of Headquarters Air Force, AF/A8 Plans and Programs.

Major Decorations and Awards

Colonel Patrick J Rhatigan has received numerous awards and honors for his selfless service. Some of them include an Armed Forces Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal With One Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Aerial Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal With One Service Star, Meritorious Service Medal With 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Combat Readiness Medal With Two Oak Leaf Clusters, and many more.

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