Col Paul Cotellesso, Air University DET 1 Commander and AFIT Director of Staff, presented the Bronze Star Medal to Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Douglas on 24 August 2017.

Colonel Matthew Douglas is the Dean of Students for AFIT’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management’s 650+ in-residence students.  Douglas is a graduate of AFIT, earning a master’s degree in logistics management in 2003. 

Colonel Douglas distinguished himself by meritorious achievement as Director of Maintenance, Train, Advise, Assist Command Air, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force at Forward Operating Base Oqab, Afghanistan from December 2015 to November 2016.

During this period, in support of Operation FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and while exposed to significant danger from rocket attacks, insider threats and direct engagements, Colonel Douglas was the senior aircraft maintenance lead supporting a fleet of 111 United States and Russian built fixed and rotary wing aircraft, providing direct oversight of 10 maintenance and logistics support contracts valued at $782 million dollars.

In this capacity, he conducted 91 outside the wire engagements with Afghan senior leadership, laying the foundation to improve the Afghan Air Force’s aircraft fleet health and integrate new aircraft and associated combat capabilities. He led the Fighting Season 2016 maintenance plan which included establishing partnered operations during Ramadan which alleviated mission degradation and enabled 950 Mi-17 combat missions.

Additionally, Colonel Douglas oversaw the A-29 light attack aircraft bed down and maintenance plan, successfully receiving the first eight aircraft in country which ensured initial operational capability of Afghanistan’s newest attack platform and its historic first combat employment less than three months after arrival. He conducted site visits to Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif Airfields to exploit the combat capabilities of the A-29. He secured vital munitions storage areas which directly enabled 91 air strikes on enemy positions.

Colonel Douglas commanded two expeditionary advisory missions to Shindand Air Base, consisting of more than 90 personnel. During these missions his teams conducted crucial advising and aircraft assessment, as well as the extraction of an Mi-17 aircraft for out of country overhaul. His subsequent recovery plan for Shindand’s struggling fleet ultimately increased aircraft availability 25 percent. His individual efforts enabled the organization to capture the 2016 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award for maintenance training, advice, and assistance of Foreign Security Forces.

The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.   The Bronze Star is the ground equivalent of the Air Medal.  Wikipedia states, “Colonel Russell P.";Red" Reeder conceived the idea of the Bronze Star Medal in 1943; he believed it would aid morale if captains of companies or of batteries could award a medal to deserving people serving under them.”

Colonel Douglas received his commission in 1996 as a graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Angelo State University.  He is a career aircraft maintenance officer with operational assignments in flightline and backshop maintenance, air mobility operations, and executive administration.  He has served in various capacities, to include squadron command.  In 2009, he earned a doctorate in marketing from the University of North Texas.

Colonel Douglas is a member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, the Logistics Officer Association and the Production and Operations Management Society.