Colonel Matthew T. Magness is the Vice Commander of the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. As the U.S. Air Force’s Operational Test Agency, AFOTEC’s mission is to independently test and evaluate new capabilities in operationally realistic environments to inform warfighters and influence national resource decisions. The Center evaluates the overall mission capability of all Air Force acquisition category I and II programs, as well as other programs under the oversight of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. AFOTEC is a direct reporting unit to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and is comprised of 640 military, civilian, and contractor personnel including five detachments and numerous operating locations across the U.S.
Prior to this position, Colonel Magness was the AFOTEC Director of Operations where he was responsible for the test and evaluation of more than 135 acquisition programs, overseeing the operations of more than 600 members at 12 locations and directly supervising 70 military and civilian personnel. Colonel Magness has also served as the 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan Director of Operation as well as the Deputy Commander of the 1st Special Operations Group where he helped lead more than 1,800 elite airmen and nine squadrons, conducting special operations aviation for U.S. Air Force and special operations forces around the world for Air Force Special Operations Command’s largest flying organization. Other past assignments include serving as the Commander of the 550th Special Operations Squadron where he was responsible for leading and overseeing the flying operations and training of 350 special operations and rescue students annually in the MC-130H, MC-130P and HC-130P/N aircraft, as well as an operations officer of both an operational support squadron and flying squadron. Colonel Magness flew MC-130Hs and C-130Es operationally in the United States, Europe and Middle East. He received his commission in 1991 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Science in aircraft engineering, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
1998 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2003 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2005 Master of Science in military art and science, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2008 Air War College, by correspondence
2013 Master of Science in strategic studies, Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1992 – December 1993, student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Reese AFB, Texas
2. May 1994 – March 1997, C-130 aircraft commander and Assistant Chief of Training, 2nd Airlift Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
3. August 1997 – June 2001, MC-130H instructor pilot, crew commander, and executive officer, 7th Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom
4. June 2001– April 2003, Chief, CV-22 Branch and Test Director, 18th Flight Test Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. April 2003 –June 2004, Chief, CV-22 Operational Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. June 2004 – June 2005, student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
7. July 2005 – March 2006, Chief, Special Operations Branch, Directorate of Programs, Global Mobility Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
8. March 2006 – April 2007, Chief, Congressional Liaison Branch, Directorate of Programs, Program Integration Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
9. April 2007 – April 2008, Executive Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff, Directorate of Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
10. May 2008 – May 2009, Director of Operations, 58th Operational Support Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
11. May 2009 – June 2010, Operations Officer, 550th Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
12. June 2010 – June 2012, Commander, 550th Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
13. July 2012 – May 2013, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. June 2013 – July 2014, Deputy Commander, 1st Special Operations Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
15. July 2014 – July 2015, Director of Operations, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Kabul, Afghanistan
16. July 2015 – July 2019, Director, Operations Directorate, Headquarters Air Force Operational Test & Evaluation Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
17. July 2019 – present, Vice Commander, Headquarters, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: 3,790 hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-1A, C-130E, MC-130H, MC-130P, HC-130P, HC-130N, U-28, AC-130U, and CV-22
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with three service stars
NATO Meritorious Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 10, 1992
First Lieutenant June 10, 1994
Captain June 10 1996
Major Feb. 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 2008
Colonel May 1, 2014
(Current as of January 2021)