Col. Echard is the Commander, 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. As the installation commander, Col. Echard leads 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. Echard 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. Echard entered the Air Force in May 2002 after graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has completed operational flying assignments in Pacific Air Forces, Air Mobility Command, and U.S. Air Forces in Europe. He is a C-130J weapons officer, and has instructed and evaluated aircrew in multiple theaters, supporting overseas contingency operations in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Col. Echard has served as an operations officer, squadron commander and group commander, and has held staff assignments on the Joint Staff and in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. Prior to his current assignment, Col. Echard was the Commander, 86th Operations Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science, Engineering Science and Mechanics, U.S. Air Force
Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2008 Master of Science, Aeronautical Science Technology, Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 C-130 Weapons Instructor Course, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2016 Master of Science, Transportation Management and Air Mobility, Advanced
Study of Air Mobility, Fort Dix, N.J.
2020 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort
McNair, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2002 – June 2003, Student Pilot, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 2003 – August 2004, Student Pilot, Corpus Christi Naval Air Station, Texas
3. August 2004 – March 2007, Publications and Mobility; C-130H Pilot, 517th
Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
4. April 2007 – November 2007, C-130J Student Pilot, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
5. December 2007 – January 2010, Tactics and Flight Commander; C-130J
Aircraft Commander, 41st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
6. February 2010 – April 2010, Executive Officer; C-130J Instructor Pilot, 41st
Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
7. May 2010 – December 2010, Executive Officer; C-130J Evaluator Pilot, 19th
Operations Group, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
8. January 2011 – June 2011, Student, C-130J Weapons Instructor Course, 29th
Weapons Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
9. July 2011 – August 2012, Chief of Group Tactics; C-130J Weapons Officer, 19th
Operations Group, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
10. September 2012 – July 2013, Chief Pilot; C-130J Weapons Officer and
Evaluator Pilot, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. August 2013 - April 2014, Chief Executive Officer; C-130J Weapons Officer and
Evaluator Pilot, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
12. May 2014 – April 2015, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, 3rd Air Force,
Ramstein AB, Germany
13. May 2015 – June 2016, Student, Advanced Study of Air Mobility, U.S. Air Force
Expeditionary Center, Fort Dix, N.J.
14. July 2016 – May 2017, Operations Officer; C-130J Weapons Officer and
Evaluator Pilot, 41st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
15. June 2017 – May 2019, Commander, 41st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB,
Ark. (January 2018 – May 2018, Commander, 774th Expeditionary Airlift
Squadron, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan)
16. July 2019 – June 2020, Student, National War College, Fort McNair,
Washington D.C.
17. June 2020 – June 2022, Requirements Management Branch Chief, Force
Structure, Resources, and Assessment Directorate, J8, Pentagon, Washington
D.C.
18. June 2022 – June 2023, Senior Military Assistant, Secretary of the Air Force
Director of Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
19. June 2023 – June 2025, Commander, 86th Operations Group, Ramstein AB,
Germany
20. July 2025 – Present, Commander, 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2020 – June 2022, Requirements Management Branch Chief, Force
Structure, Resources, and Assessment Directorate (J8), Pentagon,
Washington D.C. as a Lieutenant Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 4,400
Aircraft flown: T-37, TC-12, C-130 E/H/J, C-21
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 1 April, 2002
First Lieutenant 1 April, 2004
Captain, 1 April, 2006
Major 1 April, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel 1 December, 2016
Colonel 1 June, 2022
(Current as of July 2025)