Colonel Daniel S. Collister is the Deputy Commander, 913th Airlift Group, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. The 913th Airlift Group is responsible for providing combat-ready Airmen, tactical airlift and agile combat support. The group reports to 22nd Air Force, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia, while associated with our host, the 19th Airlift Wing (Air Mobility Command).
Colonel Collister was commissioned in 1998 through R.O.T.C. as a graduate of Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. He earned his pilot wings in 2000 from VT-31 squadron, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. He has flown the C-130E/H/J and remains an active instructor pilot with over 4,400 hours in the C-130.
During his time in the United States Air Force, he has participated in Operations Joint Forge, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Odyssey Dawn, Nomad Shadow, Credible Cat, Inherent Resolve, and Freedom’s Sentinel. In his civilian capacity, Colonel Collister is a pilot with a major airline. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Collister was the Commander of the 327th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Business Administration, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio
1998 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 1999 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2000 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas.
2000 C-130 Co-pi Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2003 C-130 Aircraft Commander Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 C-130 Instructor Pilot Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2007 C-130J Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2008 Masters of Science in Operations Management, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1998 - January 1999, F-22 Lean Project Officer, F-22 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2. October 2000 - May 2005, Chief Mission Scheduler, 2nd Airlift Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
3. May 2005 - April 2007, Flight Commander, 53rd Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. April 2007 - February 2009, Flight Commander, 48th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
5. February 2009 - June 2010, Assistant Director of Operations, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
6. June 2010 - July 2012, Command C-130J Evaluator Pilot, HQ USAFE/A3T, Ramstein AB, Germany
7. July 2012 - August 2014, Operations Officer, 41st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
8. August 2014 - December 2015, Director, 19th Operations Group Special Activities Division, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
9. December 2015 - October 2016, Chief Pilot, 48th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
10. October 2016 - June 2019, Commander, 327th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
11. June 2019 - Present, Deputy Commander, 913th Airlift Group, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,600
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-44, C-130E/H, C-130J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 5, 1998
First Lieutenant June 5, 2000
Captain June 5, 2002
Major Feb. 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2013
Colonel June 7, 2019
(Current as of October 2019)