Colonel Joseph P. King is the Commander of the 145th Airlift Wing, Charlotte Air National Guard Base, Charlotte, North Carolina. As commander, he directs and coordinates the activities of four groups consisting of 17 squadrons and Flights. He is responsible for the policies, programs, and plans necessary to organize, train, equip, and maintain the combat readiness of the 1400 Airmen and eight C-17 Globemaster III aircraft worth $2.4 billion. The 145th Airlift Wing provides strategic and tactical airlift in support of worldwide mobility and combat operations, as well as homeland defense for the state and the nation under civil authorities.
Col King commissioned from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2006 and entered directly into Undergraduate Navigator Training at Randolph AFB, Texas. He began his operational flying tour with the 39th Airlift Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas, flying deployments in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM and serving as Deputy Chief, Group Weapons and Tactics, 317th Operations Support Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas. Col King then became the Standardization and Evaluations Navigator for the 145th Operations Group, 145th Airlift Wing, Charlotte ANGB, where he managed evaluations and programs for the group and two flying squadrons. He was a Senior Navigator with over 1,900 flying hours in the T-43, C-130E, and C-130H. After completing Undergraduate Pilot training in 2017, Col King became qualified in the C-17, flying global missions for the 145th Airlift Wing. During the unit conversion from the C-130 tactical airlift to the strategic C-17 he worked as the Chief of Current Operations where he managed a flying-hour program that exceeded $20 million dollars annually. He commanded the mission-driven men and women of the 145th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 145th Airlift Wing. Prior to assuming his current position, Col King served as the Director of Operations for the North Carolina Air National Guard (NCANG A3) and the Deputy Commander of the 145th Operations Group. In his role as deputy commander, he assisted the group commander in leading more than 390 personnel across six squadrons to employ eight C-17A aircraft and execute unique operational capabilities globally. Previously, Col King was the commander of the 156th Airlift Squadron, also located at Charlotte Air National Guard Base.
Col King has flown numerous Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) sorties and led nation-wide firefighting efforts as the Assistant Director of Operations for MAFFS Air Expeditionary Group. He has also been on multiple deployments in support of contingency operations. In 2014 he served as the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing’s Chief of Standardizations and Evaluations and flew multiple airdrop missions over Iraq and Syria.
EDUCATION
2003 Associate’s degree, Aviation Career Pilot Technology Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, Lenoir, N.C.
2006 Bachelor’s degree, Business Administration, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, Charlotte, N.C.
2010 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2019 Master’s degree, Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Air Command and Staff College
2019 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2023 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2006 – February 2008, Navigator Initial C-130 Qualification, 562nd Flying Training Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2. February 2008 – December 2009 Navigator Scheduler, 39th Airlift Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
3. December 2009 – November 2010 Instructor Navigator C-130H & Squadron Tactics Officer, 39th Airlift Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
4. November 2010 – November 2012 Evaluator Navigator C–130H & Group Weapons and Tactics Assistant Flight
Commander, 317th Operations Support Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
5. November 2012 – March 2016 Evaluator/Instructor Navigator C-130H & Group Standardization and Evaluations Officer, 156th Airlift Squadron, Charlotte Air National Guard Base, N.C.
6. April 2016 – May 2017 Student Pilot, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
7. May 2017 – March 2018 C-17 Initial Qualification and Mission Certification Training, 156th Airlift Squadron, Charlotte ANGB, N.C.
8. April 2018 – August 2021 Chief of Current Operations, 145th Operational Support Squadron, Charlotte ANGB, N.C.
9. September 2021 – October 2021, Assistant Director of Operations, 156th Airlift Squadron, Charlotte ANGB, N.C.
10. November 2021 – April 2023, Commander, 145th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Charlotte ANGB, N.C.
11. May 2023 – February 2025, Commander, 156th Airlift Squadron, Charlotte ANGB, N.C.
12. March 2025 – present, Deputy Commander, 145th Operations Group, Charlotte ANGB, N.C.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Mobility Pilot & Senior Combat Systems Officer
Flight hours: over 3,900 flight hours, including more than 1,000 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-43A, C-130E, C-130H, C-130H3, T-6A, T-1A, C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Meritorious Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border and 2 oak leaf clusters
OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
Aircraft Maintenance Officer – 21A
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 13, 2006
First Lieutenant May 31, 2008
Captain May 31, 2010
Major September 15, 2014
Lieutenant Colonel September 15, 2021
Colonel April 12, 2026
(Current as of June 2026)