Col. Paul Oldham is the Commander, 18th Mission Support Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 18th Mission Support Group is the largest group in the U.S. Air Force with a direct budget of $15 million, service revenues of $18 million, and 3,700 military and civilian members comprising five squadrons. The group is also responsible for the operation of the Okuma Recreation Facility on Okinawa as well as the Bellows Air Force Station Recreation Facility in Hawaii.
Col. Oldham received his commission in 1993 as a Distinguished ROTC Graduate from the University of Maryland. In 1994, he was a Distinguished Graduate from undergraduate controller school at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida and has since been qualified in multiple crew positions on the E-3B/C and the ROCC/SOCC system. A Senior Air Battle Manager with more than 2,900 hours, Col. Oldham has flown in numerous contingency, counter drug and Joint Staff directed operations to include OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, SOUTHERN WATCH, NORTHERN WATCH, and NOBLE EAGLE.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Arts, George Mason University, Fairfax, Va.
1998 Graduate USN Fighter Weapons School, Fallon Naval Air Station, Nev.
1999 Distinguished Graduate USAF Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Masters of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle University, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2007 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Masters National Security Affairs, Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2012 Air War College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 ArmyWar College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1993 – April 1994, Student, Undergraduate Weapons Controller School, Tyndall Air Force
Base, Fla.
2. April 1994 – November 1997, E-3 Weapons Director, Instructor Weapons Director, Evaluator
Weapons Director, Senior Director, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
3. November 1997 – August 1999, E-3 Instructor Senior Director, Evaluator Senior Director, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 966 AACS, Tinker AFB, Okla.
4. August 1999 – April 2000, Chief Weapons and Tactics, 621 ACS, Osan Air Base, Korea
5. April 2000-August 2000, Student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell, AFB, Ala.
6. August 2000 – August 2003, Instructor, Assistant Director of Operations, 8 WPS, USAF Weapons
School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. August 2003 – August 2006, Chief GTACS, Chief ATACS, Chief Theater Air Control Branch, HQ PACAF, Honolulu, Hawaii
8. August 2006 – December 2007, Student, Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey, Calif.
9. January 2008 – February 2009, Director of Operations, 965 AACS, Tinker AFB, Ok.
10. February 2009 – October 2010, Commander, 960 AACS, Tinker AFB, Ok.
11. November 2010 – April 2014, Deputy Chief, C2 ISR Division, HQ ACC, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia
12. April 2014 – June 2015, Student, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa.
13. June 2015 – June 2016 Chief, Strategy Division, 613th Air Operations Center, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
14. June 2016 – Present, Commander, 18th Mission Support Group, Kadena AB, Japan
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Air Battle Manager
Flight Hours: More than 2900 hours including over 260 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: E-3 B/C
MAJOR AWARD AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1993
First Lieutenant Aug 1995
Captain Aug 1997
Major Jan 2004
Lieutenant Colonel Jan 2009
Colonel Apr 2015
Current as of May 2017