Col. Christopher J. Sopko is the Deputy Commander, 911th Airlift Wing, Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania. He is responsible for assisting the Commander in the training and readiness of more than 1,500 personnel. The Wing’s core missions include aeromedical evacuation, agile combat support and worldwide strategic airlift utilizing an inventory of eight C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.

Col. Sopko is a 2000 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla. He received his commission in the Air National Guard in 2001 as a graduate of the Academy of Military Sciences and subsequently attended Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training. Upon graduation, he returned to the 179th Airlift Wing in Mansfield, Ohio, where he served as a C-130H Flight Examiner and Wing Chief of Safety. When the wing transitioned to the C-27J in 2009, he conducted the operational test and evaluation as a member of the programs’ initial cadre and then assumed the position of C-27J Flight Examiner. Col. Sopko transferred to the Air Force Reserve in 2012 and was assigned to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he served in the roles of Flight Commander, Assistant Chief Pilot, C-17A Evaluator and Commander of the 445th Operational Support Squadron. Prior to his current assignment, the colonel served as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the A5/7 Mobility Functional Integration Team Lead supporting the capability development and future requirements of rapid global mobility aircraft.

He is a Command Pilot with over 6,000 military flying hours and has logged over 840 combat hours participating in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN and FREEDOM’S SENTINEL. In his civilian capacity, he is employed as a captain with a major airline.

EDUCATION

2000 Bachelor of Science degree, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.

2009 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence

2012 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence

2017 Master of Military Art and Science degree, Air University, by correspondence

2020 Air War College, by correspondence

 

ASSIGNMENTS

1. May 2001 – June 2002, Student, Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas

2. November 2002 – May 2006, C-130H Aircraft Commander, Squadron Safety Officer, 164th Airlift Squadron, Mansfield Air National Guard Base, Ohio

3. May 2006 – August 2007, C-130H Instructor Pilot, 179th AW Chief of Safety, Mansfield ANGB, Ohio

4. August 2007 – November 2009, C-130H Evaluator Pilot, 164th Airlift Squadron, Mansfield ANGB, Ohio

5. November 2009 – August 2010, C-27J Aircraft Commander, C-27J Operational Test & Evaluation, Robins AFB, Ga; Pope AFB, NC; Peterson AFB, Colo.

6. August 2010 – March 2012, C-27J Evaluator Pilot, 164th Airlift Squadron, Mansfield ANGB, Ohio

7. March 2012 – October 2018, C-17A Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, 89th Airlift Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

8. October 2018 – July 2020, C-17A Evaluator Pilot, Assistant Chief Pilot, 89th Airlift Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

9. August 2020 – November 2021, Commander, 445th Operational Support Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

10. November 2021 – November 2022, Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) to the A5/7 Mobility Functional Integration Team, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia

11. November 2022 – present, Deputy Commander, 911th Airlift Wing, Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, Penn.

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command Pilot

Flight hours: More than 6,000

Aircraft flown: T-37B, T-38A, C-130E/H, C-27J, and C-17A

 

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters

Army Commendation Medal

Air Force Achievement Medal

Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters

AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and one oak leaf cluster

Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters

National Defense Service Medal

Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three service stars

Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Humanitarian Service Medal

AF Overseas Ribbon Short

Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border and three oak leaf clusters

AF Longevity Service with three oak leaf clusters

Armed Forces Reserve Medal with one silver hourglass and three ‘M’ devices

Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (Pistol)

AF Training Ribbon

NATO Medal

                                                                                                                         

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant April 20, 2001

First Lieutenant April 20, 2003

Captain April 20, 2005

Major June 3, 2009

Lieutenant Colonel December 14, 2015

Colonel November 1, 2021

 

(Current as of November 2022)