Lt. Col. Matthew A. Hayden is the Commander, 56th Training Squadron, Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.
Colonel Hayden entered the Air Force in 1998 as a distinguished graduate from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has more than 2,500 flight hours in 30 aircraft types with operational experience in the
F-16, and he has served as an experimental test pilot in the F-16 and F-35. The colonel has flown the
F-16 in support of operations Iraqi Freedom, Southern Watch, and Northern Watch. His staff assignments include Developmental Test and Evaluation Lead at the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, Arlington, Va. He arrived at Luke AFB in July 2014, and prior to his current assignment he was the Chief of Safety for the 56th Fighter Wing.
EDUCATION
1998 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degrees in mechanical engineering and engineering mechanics (aeronautical engineering), U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2003 Master of Business Administration degree (negotiations and conflict resolution), Touro University
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College (In-residence credit)
2014 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1998 – October 1999, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. October 1999 – December 2000, Student, Basic Operation Training Course F-16, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3. December 2000 – October 2003, Scheduler and Squadron Plans Officer and F-16 Fighter Pilot, 22nd Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
4. October 2003 – September 2005, Chief of Training and Flight Commander and F-16 Instructor Pilot, 309th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
5. September 2005 – December 2006, Student, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md.
6. December 2006 – June 2008, Flight Commander and F-16 Experimental Test Pilot, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
7. June 2008 – June 2009, Chief Standardization and Evaluation and F-16 Experimental Test Pilot, 46th Operations Group, Eglin AFB, Fla.
8. June 2009 – May 2012, Assistant Director of Operations and F-35 Experimental Test Pilot, 461st Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
9. May 2012 – July 2014, F-35 Developmental Test and Evaluation Lead, F-35 Joint Program Office, Arlington, Va.
10. July 2014 – August 2015, Director of Operations, 56th Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
11. August 2015 – June 2016, Chief of Safety, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz.
12. July 2016 – present, Commander, 56th Training squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,500 hours
Aircraft flown: F-35, F-16, F-18, T-38, T-2, and over 25 other types
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND CERTIFICATIONS
Department of Defense Acquisition Corps
Program Management, Level III
Test and Evaluation, Level III
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1998
First Lieutenant May 27, 2000
Captain May 27, 2002
Major Sept. 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 2013
(Current as of July 2016)