COLONEL JOHN L. EASLEY

CITATION TO ACCOMPANY THE AWARD OF THE AIR COMMANDO HALL OF FAME TO COLONEL JOHN L. EASLEY

Colonel John Easley’s outstanding service to our nation and Air Commandos was hallmarked by masterful leadership of maintainers across the globe. While assigned to the Pentagon, Col Easley’s leadership proved vital to ensuring that AC-130H gunship modifications included digital age capabilities. His visionary efforts helped ensure the “new” AC130-U gunship became operational with a supportable logistics tail. As the senior maintenance officer in the 16th Special Operations Squadron, he deployed to Djibouti and Kenya, establishing bare base maintenance facilities supporting Task Force RANGER’s hunt for Somali Warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid. Col Easley was the first maintenance officer selected as deputy commander of the 16th Operations Group, and was charged with synchronizing the efforts of assigned maintainers across all weapon systems. Col Easley then commanded the 352nd Maintenance Squadron, whose Air Commandos earned the Air Force Maintenance Effectiveness Award in 1994 and 1996. He led his squadron’s move from Royal Air Force Alconbury to Royal Air Force Mildenhall, and planned and executed logistics operations enabling the successful evacuation of noncombatants from Liberia and Zaire. Later, as the 16th Logistics Group’s interim commander, he superbly supported contingency responses and led the group through a demanding Operational Readiness Inspection, garnering an Outstanding rating for the group and an Excellent rating for the wing. Throughout his career, Col Easley’s superior results resulted from inspiring his Air Commandos’ passionate commitment to a unifying maintenance principle: fix broken aircraft, Any Time, Any Place. The singularly distinctive accomplishments of Colonel John Easley reflect great credit upon himself, Air Force Special Operations, and all Air Commandos.

Inducted in 2016 at the Air Commando Association Awards Banquet in Fort Walton Beach, FL