Colonel Spencer C. Cocanour is the Vice Commander, 24th Special Operations Wing, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. The 24th SOW is the only wing in the Air Force dedicated to Special Tactics Airmen, providing precision strike, global access, personnel recovery and battlefield surgery. Prior to this assignment, he was the Commander, 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, Florida.
Colonel Cocanour graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, Massachusetts and received his commission in 1995 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. He began his career as an electrical engineer responsible for test and evaluation, systems program research and engineering, and program management related to aircraft electronic warfare systems and MILSATCOM communication terminals. He retrained into the Special Tactics Officer (STO) career field in 2001 and became certified in static line and military freefall parachuting, air traffic control, and underwater operations. Additionally, Colonel Cocanour has served as a Political-Military Affairs Officer while assigned to US Pacific Command and Special Operations Command – Pacific. Operationally, Colonel Cocanour served as the chief of staff for Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM – Philippines, and commanded special tactics squadrons while assigned to the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component during Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. He is married to Captain Amy Cocanour, United States Coast Guard.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass.
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Master’s degree in Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Marine War College, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
2014 Master’s degree in Strategic Studies, Marine University, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1995 – July 1995, NATO Confederation of Inter-allied Officers of the Reserve (CIOR), Fort Sam Houston, TX/Rome, Italy
2. August 1995 – January1999, Electronic Combat Systems Engineer/B-2 Electronic Warfare Systems Engineer/Lead B-2 Electronic Warfare Threat Engineer, 36th Engineering and Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base (AFB), Fla
3. February 1999 – October 2001, Chief MILSATCOM Test and Evaluation, MILSATCOM Terminal Program Office, Hanscom AFB, Ma
4. October 2001 – December 2003, Special Tactics Officer, 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field Air Base (AB), Fla
5. December 2003 – September 2005, Flight Commander/Director of Operations, 22d Special Tactics Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash
6. September 2005 – October 2006, Director of Training, 720th Operational Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field AB, Fla
7. October 2006 – August 2007, Director of Operations, 23d Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field AB, Fla
8. August 2007 – June 2008, Intermediate Developmental Education Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala
9. June 2008 – May 2009, Australia Country Director, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
10. May 2009 – July 2010, Aide-de-Camp, Commander U.S. Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
11. July 2010 – April 2011, Strategic Plans Officer, U.S. Special Operations Command – Pacific, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii
12. April 2011 – April 2013, Commander, 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Field, N.C.
13. April 2013 – June 2014, Senior Developmental Education Student, Marine War College, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va
14. June 2014 – October 2016, Deputy Commander, 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field AB, Fla
15. October 2016 – July 2017, Commander, 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field AB, Fla
16. July 2017 – present, Vice Commander, 24th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field AB, Fla
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star with one oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1995
First Lieutenant Jun 1997
Captain Jun 1999
Major Nov 2005
Lieutenant Colonel Sep 2010
Colonel Nov 2016