Courtesy Photo | Col. Wayne Dirkes addresses those in attendance to see him become commander of the...... read more read more
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. – Col. Wayne Dirkes assumed command of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex 704th Test Group during a Change of Command ceremony July 8, 2024, at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico.
The mission of the 704 TG is to operate world-class test facilities for high-speed sled track testing, navigation and guidance system testing, radar signature measurements, weapons systems flight testing, and Air Force Liaison for all Air Force programs tested at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
The 704 TG is comprised of 704 TG Detachment 1, Operating Location-A and 704 TG Detachment 2 located at WSMR; the 586th Flight Test Squadron, 746th Flight Test Squadron, 846th Test Squadron and 704 TG Test Support Squadron, all located at Holloman AFB; and the Aerospace Survivability and Safety Office located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Dirkes is a command pilot with more than 2,270 flight hours in more than two dozen different aircraft including the T-37B Tweet, UH-1H Iroquois, multiple variants of the C-12 Huron, T-38 Talon, UH-72A Lakota, T-6 Texan, UH-1N Huey, CV-22 and MV-22 Osprey, X-26A Frigate, CH-46 Sea Knight, and HH-60W Jolly Green II. He has deployed five times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, flying 300 combat hours in the HH-60G Pave Hawk.
The new 704 TG commander also flew rescue missions into New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. He is credited with 180 career “saves” from personnel recovery missions in combat and civil environments.
Prior to assuming command of the 704 TG, Dirkes served as the commandant of Air University’s Global College of Professional Military Education, based at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The Global College educates and develops Air Force and Space Force officers and enlisted members through distance learning professional developmental education. It offers an online master’s program and provides 100 online courses across seven programs to more than 30,000 active duty, guard, reserve and civilian students worldwide.
Dirkes received his commission via the Reserve Officer Training Corps after earning his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Norwich University in Vermont in 2001. He was a Distinguished Graduate from both Specialized Undergraduate Pilot School and the HH-60G Mission Qualification Course.
After a pair of operational HH-60G assignments, Dirkes attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School and transitioned to the acquisition workforce. He was also a Distinguished Graduate from the CV-22 Mission Qualification Course and served as the Air Force Materiel Command CV-22 Command Chief Pilot.
Dirkes further served on the AFMC Director of Operations staff and led AFMC fleet management, flying hour, and test and evaluation workforce management processes.
Before taking on his role at the Global College, Dirkes served as commander of the 413th Flight Test Squadron based at Hulburt Field, Florida. There, he led planning, execution and reporting for all Air Force rotary wing developmental flight test programs. He was the second Air Force test pilot to fly the HH-60W.
Dirkes earned his Master of Science in technology and project management from the University of Maryland University College, a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, and a Master of Strategic Studies from Air War College, also based at Maxwell.
Among his awards and decorations, Dirkes has received the Distinguished Flying Cross with valor device, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Combat Action Medal and Humanitarian Service Medal.
| Date Taken: | 07.18.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2024 08:36 |
| Story ID: | 476562 |
| Location: | HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, NEW MEXICO, US |
| Web Views: | 77 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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