Col Kevin R. Snow is Commander of the 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. He supports and directs more than 1,300 military and civilian personnel in 20 units employing eight KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft. The 459th supports Air Mobility Command's worldwide air refueling mission. In addition, the wing provides a broad cross-section of agile combat support and aeromedical evacuation capabilities to combatant commands in times of peace, war, and national emergency.
Col Snow graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and was commissioned in 2003. He has flown missions in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, and INHERENT RESOLVE.
Col. Snow was selected for numerous leadership opportunities including the prestigious PHOENIX MOBILITY officer development program and PHOENIX REACH major weapon system cross flow program for the top 2% of AMC captains. He has demonstrated excellence in the flying and leadership arenas and has served in a variety of positions at the squadron, group and wing levels. Col. Snow is a command pilot having logged more than 3,500 hours in tanker aircraft, including more than 900 combat hours. He completed 11 years on active duty before joining the Air Force Reserve in 2014.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass.
2008 Master of Arts in International Relations, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., in residence
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2020 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2024 Master of Arts in Strategic Security Studies, College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University, Fort Lesley McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2003 – January 2004, Additional Duty Lt (Awaiting Pilot Training), AFROTC Det 370, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mass.
2. January 2004 – September 2004, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, NAS Whiting Field, Fla.
3. September 2004 – May 2005, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
4. May 2005 – January 2006, Student, KC-135 Initial Qualification Course, Altus AFB, Okla.
5. February 2006 – April 2009, KC-135 Instructor Aircraft Commander, Executive Officer, Flight Commander, 351st Air Refueling Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
6. April 2009 – March 2012, PHOENIX MOBILITY Officer, Flight Commander, Tanker Planner, 21st Air Mobility Operations Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
7. March 2012 – August 2014, KC-10 Instructor Aircraft Commander, Deputy Chief of Current Operations, 60th Operations Support Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. August 2014 – August 2016, KC-10 Instructor Aircraft Commander, Flight Commander, 76th Air Refueling Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
9. August 2016 – July 2022, KC-10 Flight Examiner Aircraft Commander, Operations Officer, 70th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
10. July 2022 – October 2022, Deputy Commander, 349th Operations Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
11. October 2022 – July 2023, Commander, 349th Operations Group, Travis AFB, Calif.
12. July 2023 – July 2024, Student, College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2024 – December 2025, Reserve Component Chair, National Defense University. Washington, D.C.
14. December 2025 – Present, Commander, 459th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2024 – December 2025, Reserve Component Chair, National Defense University, Fort Leslie McNair, Washington, D.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,500
Aircraft flown: T-34B, T-1A, KC-135R, KC-10A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze star
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2009 PHOENIX MOBILITY, Headquarters Air Mobility Command
2012 PHOENIX REACH, Headquarters Air Mobility Command
2019 Joint Combined Warfighting School-Hybrid, Joint Forces Staff College
2023 Reserve Component National Security Course, College of International Security Affairs
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 2003
First Lieutenant May 28, 2005
Captain May 28, 2007
Major November 8, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel August 19, 2019
Colonel December 1, 2024
(CURRENT AS OF FEB 2026)