Col. Caleb M. Nimmo serves as the Commander of the 492d Special Operations Wing (SOW), co-located at Hurlburt Field and Duke Field, Florida, and Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. As commander, he leads the "Carpetbaggers" of the Fightin’ 492 SOW, the Air Force’s only Irregular Warfare wing executing Combat Aviation Advising and Non-Standard Aviation. The wing is also responsible for preparing Air Commandos for worldwide missions in support of joint and coalition special operations through training and education, innovation, development, and operational testing. Additionally, his units are responsible for mission qualification and continuation training in SOF aviation platforms to include AC-130J, AC-130U, AC-130W, MC-130H, MC-130J, CV-22, C-145, C-146, MQ-9, U-28A, C-208, small unmanned aerial systems (SUAS) and the A-29.
A native of Oklahoma City, Okla., Col. Nimmo graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy June, 1999. He has commanded at the squadron level and has completed numerous operational tours including a light-attack exchange, deploying to Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps. While deployed to Afghanistan, he was the Director of Operations for the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, flying the Mi-35 Hind with Czech Republic, Hungarian, and Afghan pilots. He is a military strategist and a graduate from the Air Force’s School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL and the founding director of the AFSOC Commander’s Cochran Group. Prior to his current assignment, Col. Nimmo was the Chief of the Chairman’s Current Operations Division, Pentagon, Washington D.C. and the Vice Commander for the 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Fla. Col. Nimmo is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flight hours, in more than 22 aircraft models.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science degree, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2004 Air Force Advanced Instrument School, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
2008 Master’s in Business Administration, Embry Riddle
2012 Fellow, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force Political Advisor
2012 Master’s in Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College
2012 Air War College, by correspondence
2013 Master’s in Philosophy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies
2017 Master’s in Strategy, National War College, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1.June 1999 – January 2000, Assistant to Director of Ops 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
2.January 2000 - December 2000, Student, 8th Flying Training Squadron Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
3.December 2000 - June 2001, Student, Rotary Wing Qualification Course Ft. Rucker, Ala.
4.June 2001 – December 2001, Student, UH-1N Mission Qualification, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5.December 2001 – December 2004, Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Training, 54th Helicopter Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
6.December 2004 – May 2005, Student, T-6 Pilot Instructor Training Randolph AFB, Texas.
7.May 2005 – May 2007, Chief, T-6 Standardization and Evaluation, 479th Flying Training Group, Moody AFB, Ga.
8.May 2007 - October 2008, Attack Pilot, Helicopter Marine Light Attack 167, New River Marine Corps Air Station, N.C.
9.October 2008 - March 2010, MV-22 Instructor Pilot, Chief of Enlisted Aircrew, 204 Tiltrotor Marine Medium Training Squadron, 58th Operations Group, Detachment 1, New River MCAS, N.C.
10.March 2010 - August 2010, Director of Operations, 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, Mi-35 Hind Attack Evaluator Pilot, Kabul, Afghanistan.
11.August 2010 – July 2011, S-3, 204 Tiltrotor Marine Medium Training Squadron, 58th Operations Group, Detachment 1,New River MCAS, NC.
12.July 2011 – June 2012, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13.June 2012 – July 2013, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14.July 2013 – July 2015, Commander, Asia-Pacific Military Personnel Exchange. Hickam AFB, Hawaii.
15.July 2015 – June 2016, Branch Chief, A8X Strategy, then Director, AFSOC/CC’s Cochran Group. Hurlburt Field, Fla.
16.June 2016 – June 2017, Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
17.June 2017 – June 2019, Division Chief, Current Operations, CJCS, Pentagon.
18.June 2019 – June 2021, Vice Commander, 919th Special Operations Wing, Duke Field, Fla
19.June 2021 – Present, Commander, The Fightin’ 492d Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2017 – June 2019, Division Chief, Current Operations, CJCS, Pentagon.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,500
Aircraft flown: T-37, UH-1H, UH-1N, AH-1W, T-6, T-38C, AT-38, Mi-17, Mi-35, MV-22, F-15J, F-18, MQ-9, C-145, C-146, C-208, U-28, SUAS
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Navy Commendation Medal
Current as of July 2021.