Col. Metodi V. Roulev is the Deputy Comander, 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. In the role of deputy commander, Col. Roulev assists in leading the “Home of Herk Nation.” He works in concert with the 314th Airlift Wing (Air Education and Training Command), 189th Airlift Wing (Air National Guard), 913th Airlift Group (Air Force Reserve Command), 29th Weapons Squadron (Air Combat Command), and 34th Combat Training Squadron to support all aspects of C-130 training. Col. Roulev aids in oversees the organizing, training, and equipping of personnel who operate, maintain, and sustain 55 C-130 aircraft, ensuring global support for combat, contingency and humanitarian missions. Additionally, he is responsible for the health and welfare of more than 12,000 personnel and family members at Little Rock AFB.
Col. Roulev, a native of Velingrad, Bulgaria, commissioned in the U.S. Air Force in 2002 after graduating from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He earned his intelligence officer badge in 2003 and subsequently cross-trained into aviation, earning his pilot wings in 2008. He has been an Instructor Pilot and Flight Examiner in multiple C-130H variants, and an Aircraft Commander in the C-130J. Col. Roulev has served in a variety of positions at the squadron, group, wing and major command levels. Prior to assuming his current position, Col. Roulev was a student at the Air War College and served as the Academic Year 2023 Class President at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
Col. Roulev is a C-130J Aircraft Commander with over 2,600 hours in the T-37A/B, T-44A, C-130E/H and C-130J aircraft. He has flown 840 combat hours in support of Operations Joint Forge, Joint Guardian, Joint Enterprise, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, New Dawn and Octave Shield.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Rutgers University, New
Brunswick, N.J.
2002 Air & Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Intelligence Officer School, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Science in Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University, Fla.
2012 Air Command & Staff College, via Correspondence, Air University, Maxwell
AFB, Ala.
2016 Air Command & Staff College, resident program, Air University, Maxwell AFB,
Ala.
2023 Air War College, resident program, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS or CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 2002 – January 2003, Deputy Chief, Intelligence Training, Moody Air Force
Base, Ga.
2. January 2003 – October 2003, Student, Intelligence Officer School, Goodfellow
AFB, Texas
3. October 2003 – Mar 2004, Chief, Special Security Office, Headquarters 16th Air
Force, Aviano Air Base, Italy
4. March 2004 – June 2004, Intelligence Officer, 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano
AB, Italy
5. June 2004 – May 2005, Chief, Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection, Headquarters
16th Air Force, Aviano AB, Italy
6. May 2005 – November 2005, Executive Officer, 31st Operations Group, Aviano
AB, Italy
7. November 2005 – August 2006, Watch Officer, Intelligence Operations Center,
16th Air Force, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein
AB, Germany
8. September 2006 – March 2007, Executive Officer, 80th Operations Support
Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
9. March 2007 – December 2007, T-37A/B Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot
Training, 89th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
10. January 2008 – August 2008, T-44A Student, VT-31 Squadron, Advanced
Maritime Flight Training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christy, Texas
11. September 2008 – October 2008, Student, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell
AFB, Ala.
12. October 2008 – July 2009, Student, C-130 Formal Training Unit, 62nd Airlift
Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
13. July 2009 – March 2010, Assistant Flight Commander and Pilot C-130E/H,
50th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
14. April 2010 – October 2011, Flight Commander and Aircraft Commander
C-130E/H, 50th Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
15. October 2011 – June 2013, Chief, Commander’s Action Group, and C-130H
Flight Examiner, 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
16. June 2013 – July 2015, Chief, C-130H Aircrew Training and C-130H Command
Evaluator, Operations Directorate, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott
AFB, Ill.
17. July 2015 – June 2016, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell
AFB, Ala.
18. June 2016 – May 2017, Regional Desk Officer and Foreign Area Officer,
Eastern Europe, International Affairs Division, Headquarters United States
Air Forces Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
19. May 2017 – January 2018, Branch Chief and Foreign Area Officer, Eastern
Europe, International Affairs Division, Headquarters United States Air
Forces Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
20. January 2018 – June 2018, Student, C-130J Formal Training Unit, Pilot Initial
Qualification course, 62nd Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
21. July 2018 – September 2019, Director of Operations, 43d Operations Support
Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, N.C. Attached flying duties with 39th Airlift
Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
22. September 2019 – June 2020, Chief of Safety and Aircraft Commander
C-130J, 43d Air Mobility Operations Group, Pope Army Airfield, N.C.
23. June 2020 – April 2022, Commander, 43d Air Mobility Squadron, Pope Army
Airfield, N.C.
24. April 2022 - June 2022, Deputy Group Commander for Operations, 43d Air
Mobility Operations Group, Pope Army Airfield, N.C.
25. July 2022 - June 2023, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
26. July 2023 - July 2025, U.S> Transportation Command Liaison Officer to U.S.
Africa Command, Kelly Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany
27. July 2025 - Present, Deputy Commander, 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,600
Aircraft flown: T-37A/B, T-44A, C-130E/H/J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 22, 2002
First Lieutenant May 29, 2004
Captain May 29, 2006
Major August 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2017
Colonel September 1, 2023
(Current as of August 2025)