Colonel OLIVER LAUSE

Col Oliver R. Lause is the Commander, 56th Operations Group, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The group’s mission is to build the future of airpower by training F-35 pilots, F-16 pilots, F-15 pilots, and intelligence and command control warfighters. He oversees the Air Force’s largest operations group comprised of 13 squadrons and over 170 F-35 and F-16 aircraft.

Col Lause received his commission in 2004 as a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate. He commanded the Utah Test and Training Range, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah and the 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Col Lause held various staff positions at joint/coalition, major command, and wing levels, to include serving as Executive Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command at Supreme Headquarters Allied Power Europe, Belgium. He has flown as an instructor pilot, evaluator pilot, and weapons officer in the F-35 and F-16 across Pacific Air Forces, Air Combat Command, and U.S. Air Forces in Europe, in addition to instructing at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada.

Col Lause was a National Defense Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, California and a Blue Horizons Fellow in the Center for Strategy and Technology, Spaatz Center, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He is a command pilot with more than 2,000 hours in the F-35A, F-16, T-38C, and T-37B including 200 combat hours in Operation Enduring Freedom. He has also flown alert missions supporting Operation Noble Eagle.

 

EDUCATION

2004 Bachelor of Science in Political Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

2013 Master of Science in Military Operational Art and Science, Distance Learning, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

2016 Master of Science in Airpower Strategy and Technology Integration, Blue Horizons Fellowship, Center for Strategy and Technology, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

 

ASSIGNMENTS

1. August 2004–February 2006, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.

2. February 2006–April 2006, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Moody AFB, Ga.

3. April 2006–January 2007, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit and Night Systems Course, Luke AFB, Ariz.

4. February 2007–April 2008, Standardization and Evaluation Liaison Officer and F-16 Flight Lead, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea

5. May 2008–June 2008, Student, F-16 Block 50 Conversion Course, Luke AFB, Ariz.

6. June 2008–December 2010, Flight Commander, Assistant Chief of Group Standardization and Evaluation, Chief of Mobility, F-16 Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, 79th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C. (October 2009–February 2010, Chief of Mobility, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Bagram AB, Afghanistan)

7. January 2011–June 2011, Student, F-16 Weapons Instructor Course, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.

8. July 2011–July 2012, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, F-16 Weapons Officer, 80th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea

9. August 2012–July 2015, Flight Commander, Chief of Wing Scheduling, Chief of Weapons, F-16 Weapons School Instructor, 16th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.

10. August 2015–June 2016, Blue Horizons Fellow, Center for Strategy and Technology, Spaatz Center, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

11. July 2016–July 2017, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany

12. Aug 2017–June 2018, Inspector General, F-16 Instructor Pilot, 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany

13. June 2018–June 2019, Commander, 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea

14. June 2019–July 2021, Executive Assistant, Deputy Executive Assistant, and Special Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Belgium

15. July 2021–June 2022, National Defense Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Calif.

16. July 2022–June 2023, Chief of Staff, F-35A Pilot, Hill AFB, Utah

17. June 2023-June 2024, Commander, Utah Test and Training Range, F-35A Instructor Pilot, Hill AFB, Utah

18. June 2024– present, Commander, 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.

 

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2019–July 2021, Executive Assistant, Deputy Executive Assistant, and Special Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Belgium, as a lieutenant colonel

 

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating:  command pilot

Flight hours:  more than 2,000 including 200 combat hours

Aircraft flown:  T-37B, T-38C, F-16, F-35A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal

Legion of Merit

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with oak leaf cluster

Air Force Commendation Medal

Air Force Achievement Medal

 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant June 2, 2004

First Lieutenant June 2, 2006

Captain June 2, 2008

Major July 1, 2014

Lieutenant Colonel Nov. 1, 2017

Colonel April 1, 2023

 

(Current as of June 2024)