Col Joshua C. Watkins is Deputy Commander, 437th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, SC. The 437th Airlift Wing provides rapid global mobility to the Joint Force through the deployment, employment, and sustainment of forces and equipment via airlift and airdrop missions. These missions support combat operations, Joint Chiefs of Staff directed special operations missions, and United States sponsored humanitarian relief efforts.
Col Watkins is originally from Lancaster, PA. He received his commission in 2002 from Officer Training School after graduating from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. He attended pilot training at Columbus AFB, MS and served two operational C-17 tours at Charleston AFB and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, before becoming a Weapons School Instructor. Col Watkins commanded the 8th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA prior to attending the Joint Advanced Warfighting School, in Norfolk, VA. Most recently, he completed Joint Assignments on the Joint Staff and at the Central Intelligence Agency, in Washington DC.
Col Watkins is a command pilot with over 4,000 flying hours in the C-17A, T-37B, and T-1A. He accrued 700 hours of C-17A combat time in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, INHERENT RESOLVE, FREEDOM SENTINEL and the Horn of Africa. He is also an AETC Master Instructor, having served on faculty at Air University.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2010 Master of Business Administration, Touro University International, Cypress California
2010 C-17A Weapons Instructor Course, McGuire AFB, New Jersey
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2016 Master of Airpower Strategy & Technology, Blue Horizons Fellowship, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2017 Master of Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2021 Master of Military Strategy, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, National Defense University, Norfolk, Virginia
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1.October 2002 – July 2004, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus Air Force Base, MI
2.October 2004 – October 2010, C-17A Special Operations Low Level II Evaluator Pilot, 15th Airlift Squadron and 437th Operations Group, Joint Base Charleston, SC
3.October 2010 – June 2011, C-17A Weapons Officer, Chief of Tactics, 6th Airlift Squadron, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
4.June 2011 – January 2013, C-17A Weapons School Instructor, 57th Weapons Squadron, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
5.January 2013 – June 2015, Director of Staff, Headquarters Squadron Officer College, Maxwell AFB, AL
6.July 2015 – June 2016, Blue Horizons Fellow, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
7.July 2016 – June 2017, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
8. October 2017 – April 2018, Director of Operations, 7th Airlift Squadron, JB Lewis-McChord, WA
9. April 2018 – June 202, Commander, 8th Airlift Squadron, JB Lewis-McChord, WA
10. July 2020 – June 2021, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, National Defense University, Norfolk, VA
11. June 2021 – June 2023, Deputy Director, Joint Futures Cross Functional Team, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Arlington, VA
12. July 2023 – July 2025, Chief, Defense Sensitive Support Department, Central Intelligence Agency, Langley, VA
13. July 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander, 437th Airlift Wing, JB Charleston, SC
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2021 – June 2023, Deputy Director, Joint Futures CFT, Joint Staff (J7), Pentagon, Arlington, VA, as a Lieutenant Colonel
2. July 2023 – July 2025, Chief, Defense Sensitive Support Department, Central Intelligence Agency, Langley, VA, as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: Over 4,000 hours
Aircraft flown: C-17A, T-37B, and T-1A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Iraqi Campaign Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant November 8, 2002
First Lieutenant November 8, 2004
Captain November 8, 2006
Major November 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel August 1, 2017
Colonel September 1, 2023
(Current as of July 2025)