Col. Daniel L. Cornelius is the 75th Air Base Wing and Installation Commander at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The wing provides installation support for the Ogden Air Logistics Complex, two fighter wings, and over 50 other associate units, totaling 27,000 members consisting of active duty, civilian and contractor personnel. Additionally, the 75th Air Base Wing directly supports Air Expeditionary Forces operations and provides base operating support for the 1.1-million-acre Utah Test and Training Range.
Colonel Cornelius commissioned in 1999 as a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at the University of Cincinnati. He has a diverse background in fighter, mobility, and remotely piloted aircraft maintenance, and has served as a staff officer at an Air Logistics Center, a major command, on the Air Staff, Joint Staff, and in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Cornelius has deployed in support of Operations NORTHERN and SOUTHERN WATCH, NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, CJTF-Horn of Africa, and North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s African Union Mission in Sudan. Prior to his current position, he was the 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group commander at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
1999 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2000 Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2002 Master of Arts in Business Administration, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2011 Air Force Intern Program (IDE), Strategic Policy Intern, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2022 Aviation Industrial Readiness Program, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C.
2022 Executive Champion Six Sigma Certification, College of Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1999 - July 2002, various maintenance positions culminating as Accessories Flight Commander, 92nd Maintenance Squadron, 92nd Air Refueling Wing, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
2. August 2002 - May 2005, Lead Structural Engineer, AC-130H Gunship; Deputy Section Chief, C-130 Production Branch; and later, Deputy Chief, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center Commander’s Action Group, Robins AFB, Ga.
3. June 2005 - April 2007, Officer-In-Charge, 37th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, 86th Aircraft Generation Squadron, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base (AB), Germany
4. April 2007 - May 2008, Special Action Officer for the Commander, United States Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
5. May 2008 - July 2010, Officer-in-Charge, Raptor Aircraft Maintenance Unit, and later, Maintenance Operations Officer, 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. July 2010 - June 2011, Air Force Intern Program (IDE), Strategic Policy Intern with duties in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense and Headquarters Air Force’s Checkmate Office, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
7. June 2011 - June 2013, Commander, 849th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
8. June 2013 - June 2015, Action Officer, Strategy and Readiness Division, and later, Chief, J4 Strategy Branch, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
9. June 2015 - July 2016, Executive Assistant to the Vice Director, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
10. July 2016 - June 2017, Student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
11. June 2017 - May 2019, Deputy Commander, 51st Maintenance Group, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
12. May 2019 - June 2020, Executive Officer to the Commander, 7th Air Force, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
13. June 2020 - June 2021, Commander, 8th Maintenance Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
14. June 2021 - June 2024, Commander, 402nd Aircraft Maintenance Group, WR-ALC, Robins AFB, Ga.
15. July 2024 - Present, Commander, 75th Air Base Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 2013 - July 2016, Action Officer, J4 Strategy and Readiness Division; Chief, J4 Strategy Branch; and later, Executive Assistant to the Vice Director, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a major and lieutenant colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1999 Distinguished Graduate, ROTC
2000 Distinguished Graduate, Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course
2004 Top Third Graduate, Squadron Officer School
2005 USAFE Lt Gen Leo Marquez Award Winner
2012 ACC Maintenance Effectiveness Award as a Squadron Commander
2017 Distinguished Graduate, Naval War College, Graduated with “Highest Distinction” (Top 5%)
2021 AFMC Outstanding Depot Maintenance Manager of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, June 12, 1999
First Lieutenant, July 11, 2001
Captain, July 11, 2003
Major, June 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel, December 1, 2013
Colonel, January 1, 2020
(Current as of July 2024)