Col. Paul A. Frantz is the Commander, 18th Civil Engineer Group, Kadena Air Base, Japan. In this capacity, he leads the largest civil engineer organization in the U.S. Air Force, comprised of over 1,600 personnel, enabling decisive air and cyberspace capabilities in support of U.S. interests, the defense of Japan, and peace and stability throughout the Indo-Pacific. Col Morrison manages an annual operating budget in excess of $120 million, oversees all planning, design, construction, sustainment, and protection of over 5,000 facilities and related infrastructure, and serves as the executive agent for the largest military family housing operation in the Department of Defense. Additionally, he supports a population of nearly 18,000 Americans and more than 4,000 Japanese through the delivery of essential installation services to include environmental management, fire protection, aircraft crash and rescue, explosive ordinance disposal, disaster preparedness, and incident management.
Col. Frantz received his commission in 2001 after graduating from Virginia Tech with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. Since that time, he has served in a wide range of operational units, including aircraft equipment maintenance, civil engineer, emergency management, personnel and a provincial reconstruction team. Additionally, Col. Frantz has served more than 12 years overseas with tours in Central Asia, Europe and the Pacific.
Prior to assuming command of the 18th Civil Engineer Group, Col. Frantz served as the executive officer to the Defense Logistics Agency’s director or operations (J3), Fort Belvoir, Virginia. His previous commands include, Commander, 718th Civil Engineer Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan; Commander, 97th Civil Engineer Squadron, Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma; and Commander, Base Support Group Engineers, Camp HQ International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Kabul, Afghanistan.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Architecture (five-year first-professional), Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Va.
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Science in National Security Studies, American Military University, Va.
2012 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Top 20% Graduate, Master of Military Arts and Science, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2015 MacArthur Foundation Award recipient, Joint and Combined Warfighting School (Joint Professional Military Education – Level II), Norfolk Naval Base, Va.
2022 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy, The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2001 - September 2001, Chief of Employments, 4th Mission Support Sq., Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
2. September 2001 - May 2003, Chief of Readiness, 4th Mission Support Sq., Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
3. May 2003 - May 2004, Section Commander, 4th Equipment Maintenance Sq., Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
4. May 2004 - May 2006, Chief of Base Development, 374th Civil Engineer Sq., Yokota AB, Japan
5. May 2006 - January 2007, Deputy Engineering Flight Commander, 374th Civil Engineer Sq., Yokota AB, Japan
6. January 2007 - April 2008, Chief Engineer, Provincial Reconstruction Team, Nangarhar, Afghanistan
7. June 2008 - March 2009, Emergency Management Flight Commander, 31st Civil Engineer Sq., Aviano AB, Italy
8. March 2009 - November 2009, Commander, Base Support Group Engineers, H.Q. International Security Assistance Force compound, Kabul, Afghanistan
9. November 2009 - November 2010, Executive Officer, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano AB, Italy
10. November 2010 - July 2011, Operations Flight Commander, 31st Civil Engineer Sq., Aviano AB, Italy
11. August 2011 - October 2012, Deputy Chief, Energy Branch, H.Q. USAF, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. (With duty as OIC, Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Regional Command West, Shindand AB, Afghanistan)
12. October 2012 - June 2013, Military Construction Program Manager, H.Q. USAF, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2013 - June 2014, Graduate Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
14. July 2014 - July 2015, Future Operations Officer, U.S. Forces Korea Engineers, Yongsan USAG, South Korea
15. July 2015 - July 2016, Chief, Future Operations, Combined Forces Command Engineers, & United Nations Command Engineers, Yongsan USAG, South Korea
16. July 2016 - June 2018, Commander, 97th Civil Engineer Sq., Altus AFB, Okla.
17. July 2018 - June 2021, Commander, 718th Civil Engineer Sq., Kadena AB, Japan
18. July 2021 - June 2022, Graduate Student, The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
19. July 2022 - April 2023, Director, Strategic Plans & Futures Division, Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
20. April 2023 - July 2024, Executive Officer, Operations (J3), Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
21. July 2024 - Present, Commander, 18th Civil Engineer Group, Kadena AB, Japan
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2014 - July 2015, Future Operations Officer, U.S. Forces Korea Engineers, Yongsan USAG, South Korea, as a major
2. July 2015 - July 2016, Chief, Future Operations, Combined Forces Command Engineers, & United Nations Command Engineers, Yongsan USAG, South Korea, as a lieutenant colonel
3. Jun 2022 - March 2023, Director, Strategic Plans and Futures Division, Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a colonel
4. April 2023 - June 2024, Executive Officer to the Chief of Logistics Operations (J-3), Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
PUBLICATIONS
“The Effectiveness of U.S. Policies for Al Shabaab,” US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS., 2014
“The American Way of Strategy,” Campaigning – Journal of the Joint Forces Staff College, Spring 2016
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant - 12 May 2001
First Lieutenant - 30 May 2003
Captain - 30 May 2005
Major - 1 July 2011
Lieutenant Colonel - 1 July 2016
Colonel - 1 April 2022
(Current as of July 2024)