Colonel Steven G. Owen is the Director of Safety for Air Combat Command, headquartered at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA. He is responsible for implementing the command’s flight, ground, and weapons safety mishap prevention programs designed to preserve combat capability by providing guidance and directives to all ACC subordinate units (NAF, center, wings and squadrons). He advises the ACC commander and staff on mishap trends, problem areas, and command-level initiatives. In addition he provides direction, guidance, and assistance to all of the command’s safety investigations. Colonel Owen oversees safety guidance for 22 wings, 26 weapon systems, over 1,000 aircraft and 136,000 personnel.
Colonel Owen was commissioned in 1995, graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a B.S. in Engineering Mechanics. During his career Col Owen has served as a T-38A and F-15C instructor pilot, Squadron Commander for the Air Force’s Initial Flight Screening Program and Deputy Commander, 838th Air Expeditionary Advisor Group, Shindand Air Base, Afghanistan. His Joint experience includes NORAD & USNORTHCOM J5 as a Lead Planner for Homeland Defense and Joint Forces Staff College as Assistant Professor, Joint & Combined Warfighting School.
EDUCATION
1995 B.S. Engineering Mechanics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2000 Squadron Officer School, in residence
2002 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
2006 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2008 Joint & Combined Warfighting School
2012 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jun 1995 - Mar 1996, Academic Instructor & Intramural Program Manager, U.S. Air Force Academy Colo.
2. Apr 1996 - May 1997, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB Miss.
3. Jun 1997 - Aug 1997, Student, Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB Texas.
4. Sep 1997 - Aug 2000, T-38A Instructor Pilot, 25th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB Okla.
5. Oct 2000 - Apr 2001, Student, F-15C Fighter Training Unit, 2nd Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB Fla.
6. May 2001 - Mar 2004, F-15C Pilot, Safety & Training Officer, Flight Commander, 493rd Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom.
7. Apr 2004 - Mar 2007, F-15C Instructor Pilot, Chief of Scheduling, 1st Fighter Squadron; Chief of Advanced Programs, 325th Operations Group, Tyndall AFB Fla.
8. Apr 2007 - May 2010, Theater Campaign Planner, Lead Planner for Homeland Defense, Headquarters NORAD and USNORTHCOM J5, Peterson AFB Colo.
9. Jun 2010 - Jan 2011, Assistant Director of Operations, 306th Operations Support Squadron, 306th Operations Group, U.S. Air Force Academy Colo.
10. Feb 2011 - May 2012, Director of Operations, 306th Operations Support Squadron, 306th Operations Group, U.S. Air Force Academy Colo.
11. Jun 2012 - May 2014, Commander, 1st Flying Training Squadron, 306th Operations Group, 12th Flying Training Wing, Pueblo Colo. Deputy Commander, 838th Air Expeditionary Advisor Group, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Shindand Air Base Afghanistan.
12. Jun 2014 - Jul 2016, Military Instructor, Joint & Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, National Defense University, Norfolk Va.
13. Aug 2016 - Aug 2017, Chief of Flight Safety, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis Va.
14. Aug 2017 - Present, Director of Safety, Air Combat Command, JB Langley-Eustis Va.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Total Flight hours: over 2,500
Single-Seat Fighter hours: over 1,000
Combat flight hours: None
Aircraft flown: F-15C, AT-38B, T-38A, T-37, T-52A, T-53A and DA-20
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 29 May 1995
First Lieutenant 29 May 1997
Captain 29 May 1999
Major 01 August 2005
Lieutenant Colonel 01 July 2010
Colonel 01 September 2016
(Current as of 05 July 18)