Colonel Allison Black is the commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida. She is responsible for preparing Air Force special operations forces for worldwide missions in support of joint and coalition special operations. The wing's mission includes planning, posturing, and executing precision strike, specialized mobility, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. The wing employs more than 80 aircraft, including the AC-130U, AC-130J, MC-130H, CV-22B, U-28A, PC-12 and MQ-9. These capabilities support a variety of special operations missions including direct action, unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, counterterrorism, personnel recovery, psychological operations, and information operations. As installation commander, Col. Black also oversees Hurlburt Field’s base support for the wing’s four groups and 26 squadrons, as well as over 40 tenant units, including Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command.
Colonel Black enlisted in the Air Force in 1992 and served as a Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Specialist. In 1998, she completed Officer Training School, followed by Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator training earning her wings in January 2000.
Colonel Black has flown a total of over 3,400 hours with 2,000 combat hours in the AC-130H Spectre gunship and the U-28A Draco.
EDUCATION
1992 Basic Military Training
1992 SERE Instructor Training
1997 Airman Leadership School
1997 Associate of Applied Science, Survival & Rescue Operations, Instructor of Tech & Military Science
1998 Bachelor of Science, Corporate Training and Development, Wayland Baptist University
1998 Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB
2000 Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Pensacola NAS, Randolph AFB
2003 USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB
2006 USAF Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB
2009 IDE USAF Fellows Strategic Communications Master’s Program, George Mason Univ, VA
2017 Counter-terrorism Fellow, College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. 1992 Student, AF Basic Training, Lackland Air Force Base TX
2. 1992 Student, Survival Instructor Training Course, Fairchild AFB, WA
3. 1992 - 1996, SERE Instructor, Combat Survival School, Fairchild AFB, WA
4. 1996 - 1998, Arctic SERE Instructor, Arctic Survival School, Eielson AFB, AK
5. 1998 Student, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL
6. 1998 - 1999, Student, JSUNT, Pensacola NAS, FL
7. 1999 - 2000, Student, JSUNT Randolph AFB, TX
8. 2000 Student, AC-130H Navigator training, 19th SOS, Hurlburt Field, FL
9. 2000 - 2004, AC-130H Instructor Navigator, Combat Planner, 16th SOS, Hurlburt Field, FL
10. 2004 - 2005, AC-130H Branch Chief, 19th SOS, Hurlburt Field, FL
11. 2005 - 2008, Chief AC-130H Evaluator Navigator, Standardizations & Evaluations, 1 SOG, Hurlburt Field, FL
12. 2008 Chief AC-130 Evaluator, AFSOC Standardizations & Evaluations, AFSOC HQ , Hurlburt Field, FL
13. 2008 - 2009, Special Actions Officer, AFSOC Commander’s Action Group, AFSOC HQ, Hurlburt Field, FL
14. 2009 - 2010, Student, USAF Strategic Communications Fellows Program, George Mason University, VA
15. 2010 - 2012, Chief, Operational Integrated Communications Team, SAF/PA HQ USAF, Pentagon
16. 2012 - 2013, Chief, Wing Exercise Integration, 1 SOW, Hurlburt Field, FL
17. 2013 - 2015, Director of Operations, 319 Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
18. 2015 - 2017, Commander, 319 Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
19. 2017 - 2018, Student, National Defense University
20. 2018 – 2020, Deputy, Commanders Action Group, HQ USSOCOM, Macdill AFB, Tampa, FL
21. 2020- 2022, Vice Wing Commander, 24 Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL
22. 2022- present, Commander, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Total Flight Hours: 3400+, Combat Hrs: 2000+
Aircraft Flown: T-34, C-130, AC-130, U-28A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 3 oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with 15 oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters
Combat Action Medal
NATO Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant: 14 August 1998
First Lieutenant: 14 August 2000
Captain: 14 August 2002
Major: 1 June 2008
Lieutenant Colonel: 1 October 2013
Colonel: 1 November 2019