Col Robinson R. Mata serves as the 18th Mission Support Group Commander, Kadena Air Base, Japan. He commands the largest Mission Support Group in the Air Force and oversees a $7 million budget, $450 million of assets, and six squadrons comprising 3,700 military and civilian members. The 18th Mission Support Group is also responsible for the operation of two geographically separated Detachments, the Okuma Recreation Facility on Okinawa and the Bellows Air Force Station Recreation Facility in Hawaii. Additionally, Col Mata acts as the Kadena Mayor and is responsible for liaising with local Mayors of the Okinawa Prefectural Government to strengthen international relations.

Colonel Mata earned his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force through Officer Training School in 2002. He is a career Logistics Readiness Officer with experience in Materiel Management, Fuels Management, Air and Ground Transportation, Distribution Management, Vehicle Management, and Logistics Planning.

EDUCATION

• 2001 Bachelor of Science, Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, TX
• 2002 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
• 2003 Logistics Readiness Officer School (Distinguished Graduate), Lackland AFB, TX
• 2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
• 2008 Master of Public Administration, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK
• 2012 Air Command and Staff College – Correspondence 
• 2012 Advance Logistics Readiness Officer Course, Fort Dix, NJ
•  2014 Education with Industry program – ExxonMobil Corp., Fairfax, VA 
• 2015 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Maxwell AFB, AL 
• 2017 Joint Logistics Course, Army Logistics University, Fort Lee, VA 
• 2018 Next Jump Leadership Academy, New York, NY
•  2018 Global Supply Chain Executive Development Program, Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 
• 2020 LOGTECH - Advanced Program in Logistics and Technology, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 
• 2021 Air War College – Correspondence 
• 2021 Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, Virginia 
• 2024 Masters of Strategic Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Aug 1996 – Mar 2002, Emergency Medical Technician-Basic, 759th Medical OperationsSquadron, Lackland Air Force Base, TX
2. June 2002 – November 2004, War Reserve Materiel Officer, 18th Logistics ReadinessSquadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
3. November 2004 – December 2005, Air Terminal Operations Center OIC, 733rd AirMobility Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
4. December 2005 – March 2007, Fuels Management Flight Commander, 366th LogisticsReadiness Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID
5. March 2007 – March 2008, Vehicle Management Flight Commander, 366th LogisticsReadiness Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID
6. March 2008 – January 2009, Materiel Management Flight Commander, 366th LogisticsReadiness Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID
7. January 2009 – July 2011, Creech Support Center Flight Commander, 99th Logistics Readiness Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, NV
8. July 2011 – July 2012, Supply Chain Management, Branch Chief, Directorate of Logistics, 7th Air Force, Osan Air Base Republic of Korea
9. July 2012 – July 2013, Logistics Readiness, Division Chief, Directorate of Logistics, 7thAir Force, Osan Air Base Republic of Korea
10. August 2013 – July 2014, Fellow, ExxonMobil Downstream Headquarters, Fairfax, VA
11. August 2014 – June 2015, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
12. June 2015 – June 2017, Commander, Defense Logistics Agency - Energy Okinawa(Subregional Command), Okinawa, Japan
13. June 2017 – August 2020, Commander, 56th Logistics Readiness Sq, Luke AFB, AZ
14. August 2020 – August 2022, Chief, Joint Petroleum Office, J4 - Directorate of Logisticsand Engineering, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, HI
15. August 2022 – June 2023, Deputy Chief, Air Force Division, U.S. MilitaryTraining Mission – Central Command, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
16. July 2023 – July 2024, Student, Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
17. July 2024 – Present, Commander, 18th Mission Support Group, Kadena AB, Japan

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

• Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
• Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
• Joint Service Commendation Medal
• Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
• Joint Service Achievement Medal
• Air Force Achievement Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

• Second Lieutenant 24 May 2002
• First Lieutenant 24 May 2004
• Captain 24 May 2006
• Major 01 Mar 2012
• Lieutenant Colonel 01 Feb 2017
• Colonel 01 Sep 2023

(Current as of 29 Aug 2024)