Lieutenant Colonel Daniel S. Fales

Lt Col Daniel S. Fales is the Director of Operations, 183d Air Component Operations Squadron, 183d Wing, Illinois Air National Guard, Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Springfield, Illinois.  He is responsible for leading operations and training for a 92 member squadron that consists of personnel prepared to augment Air Force Forces (AFFOR) staff and Air Operations Center (AOC) crewmembers world-wide at the operational level of war.  The 183d Air Component Operations Squadron (ACOS) is aligned to augment the 12th Air Forces (AFSOUTH) Air Force Forces staff and 612th Air Operations Center while supporting U.S. Southern Command and its role to conduct theater engagement, security cooperation and full-spectrum operations requirements through the Caribbean, Central and South America.

Lt Col Fales was assigned to Air and Education Training Command, Vance Air Force Base (AFB) in 2001. Then in 2004, he graduated from Airfield Operations Officer Training Program, Laughlin AFB, Texas. For the next six years, Lt Col Fales was assigned to Air Combat Command at both the 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota and the 27th Fighter Wing, Cannon AFB, New Mexico. From 2007 to 2011 he was the 27th Special Operations Wing Airspace Manager.  In 2011, he joined the 183d Air Operations Group, Springfield, Illinois standing up their first ever Air Operations Center Standards & Evaluation program along with initiating a Combat Mission Ready training qualification program. From this position, Lt Col Fales was selected as the Assistant Director of Operations, 183d Combat Operations Squadron, then promoted to Director of Operations, 183d Air Component Operations Squadron, with both positions being in the 183d Air Operations Group, Springfield, Illinois. He is a veteran of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, Operation FREEDOM SENTINEL, the Resolute Support Mission, and the Combined Defense of the Arabian Gulf.

EDUCATION
2001  Bachelor of Arts, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
2011  Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011  Formal Training Unit Combat Airspace Operator Course
2012  Air Force Forces Intermediate Staff Course
2014  Formal Training Unit Strategy Division Operator Course
2015  Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016  Air Component Special Technical Operations Planners Course
2017  Joint Humanitarian Operations Course
2018  Air Force Forces Senior Staff Course
2019  Echelon Above Brigade Airspace Course
2021  Command and Control Warrior Advance Course
2021  Joint Senior Staff Course
2022  Air Advisor Course

ASSIGNMENTS
1. 12 June 2001 – 12 December 2001, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, 71st Flying Training Wing, Oklahoma
2. 13 December 2001 – 2 May 2003, Airfield Operations Training Program, 47th Flying Training Wing, Texas
3. 3 May 2003 – 2 May 2005, Airfield Operations Flight Operations Officer, 28th Bomb Wing, South Dakota
4. 3 May 2005 – 1 July 2007, Airfield Operations Flight Commander, 27th Fighter Wing,New Mexico
5. 1 October 2007 – 28 March 2009 – Wing Airspace Manager, 27th Special Operations Wing, New Mexico
6. 21 June 2010 – 24 February 2011 – Wing Operations Plans and Programs Deputy Chief, 27th Special Operations Wing, New Mexico
7. 25 February 2011 – 9 June 2013, Training-Standards & Evaluation Chief, 183d Fighter Wing, Illinois
8. 10 June 2013 – 31 March 2018, Assistant Director of Operations, 183d Wing, Illinois
9. 1 April 2018 – Present, 183d Air Component Operations Squadron Director of Operations, 183d Air Operations Group, 183d Wing, Springfield, Ill.  (January 2020 – July 2020, Combat Plans Division Deputy Chief, 609 AOC, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
AF Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon
AF Longevity Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Illinois Lincoln Medal of Freedom
Illinois Military Long and Honorable Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Illinois Military Attendance Ribbon with four oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Fixed Wing Single Engine Private Pilot License
Air Traffic Control Tower Operator Certification
Air Traffic Control Radar Approach Control Certification
Air Operations Center Combat Airspace Certification
Air Operations Center Strategy Plans Certification
Air Operations Center Strategy Guidance Certification
Air Operations Center Special Technical Operations Certification
Air Force Forces Staff Officer Certification

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2001
First Lieutenant May 30, 2003
Captain May 30, 2005
Major October 01, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel November 06, 2016

(Current as of April 2022)