Charles E. "Chas" Buchanan is the Director, 56th Fighter Wing Range Management Office, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. He is responsible for more than 200 military, civilian and contract personnel who operate the 1 million acre Barry M. Goldwater Range and Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field. He directs all operational and environmental stewardship activities to ensure sustained range operations. He is also responsible for the 11 million acres of airspace assigned to Luke AFB. In resolving airspace and land management issues, he liaises directly with 15 separate Federal and State of Arizona agencies as well as 26 Native American tribes.
Mr. Buchanan was commissioned in the Air Force in April 1982 after graduating from the University of Texas, El Paso. His first flying assignment was as a T-37 flight instructor with follow-on selection into the F-16. As an F-16 pilot he served in several fighter squadrons performing a variety of duties including instructor, flight commander, operations officer, and executive officer, and he was well versed in the LANTIRN system as well as night vision goggles. Mr. Buchanan has also served in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, and he led an F-16 specialized training team on behalf of the USAF working with the Turkish air force at Akinci Air Base, Turkey.
A command pilot with more than 3,700 hours flying time, more than 2,600 of these hours were in the F-16 Lockheed Fighting Falcon. He retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel.
EDUCATION
1981 Bachelor Business Administration degree, University of Texas at El Paso
1986 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1989 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. April 1982 - April 1983, student, undergraduate pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2. April 1983 - September 1983, student, distinguished graduate, pilot instructor training, Randolph AFB, Texas
3. September 1983 - October 1986, T-37 instructor, 37th Flying Training Squadron; class commander, 14th Student Squadron; and flight examiner, 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Miss.
4. February 1987 - March 1987, student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
5. April 1987 - September 1987, distinguished graduate, F-16 basic fighter training, MacDill AFB, Fla.
6. October 1987 - November 1991, F-16C/D pilot/flight commander, 14th Tactical Flying Squadron, and executive officer, 432th Tactical Fighter Wing, Misawa Air Base, Japan
7. December 1991 - June 1995, student, F-16 Fighter Training Unit Instructor Course; and F-16 instructor pilot/flight commander, 310th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
8. July 1995 - July 1998, Country Director, European Division, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force (International Affairs), the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
9. July 1998 - September 1998, student, F-16 Fighter Training Unit Instructor Course, Luke AFB, Ariz.
10. October 1998 - January 2000, Chief, F-16 Extension Training Specialist Team, U.S. European Command, Air Force Mission, Ankara, Turkey
11. January 2000 - February 2004, flight commander, 56th Operational Support Squadron; operations officer, 425th Fighter Squadron; F-16 instructor pilot, 310th Fighter Squadron; and Chief, Range Operations Branch, 56th Fighter Wing Range Management Office, Luke AFB, Ariz.
12. March 2004 - September 2012, Chief, Range Operations Branch, operations officer and Deputy Director, 56th Fighter Wing Range Management Office, Luke AFB, Ariz.
13. September 2012 - present, Director, 56th Fighter Wing Range Management Office, Luke AFB, Ariz.
AWARDS AND HONORS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal
(Current as of September 2012)