Col. Benjamin R. Harrison is the Commander of the 301st Fighter Wing, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. He is responsible for providing a combat-ready force comprised of approximately 2,280 Reserve, active duty, and civilian Airmen, and resources to support national objectives. The wing leverages both classic and active associations at two locations to employ the F-16C, F-22, T-38 aircraft, and the future F-35 training mission.
Col. Harrison earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1998. He completed pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, and was assigned to fly the F-16C Fighting Falcon. He transitioned from active duty to the Air Force Reserve in 2008. Col. Harrison is a command pilot with more than 2,350 combined hours in the F-16C Fighting Falcon and F-35A Lightning II. Col. Harrison has flown across multiple areas of operation on combat and security deployments. He also served in a variety of leadership positions from the squadron, group, numbered Air Force, to Headquarters Air Force levels.
Prior to his current position, the colonel was the commander of the 301st Operations Group, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2009 Master of Business Administration, Touro University International, Cypress, Calif.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2018 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2020 Reserve Component National Security Course, Fort Lesley McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1998 - December 1999, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2. January 2000 - April 2000, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. May 2000 - January 2001, Student, F-16 Flying Training Unit, 63d Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. February 2001 - January 2002, Electronic Combat Pilot, 4th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
5. February 2002 - September 2004, Chief of Scheduling, 466th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
6. October 2004 - December 2007, Flight Commander, 310 FS and 56th Operations Support Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
7. January 2008 - June 2010, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 419th Operations Group, Hill AFB, Utah
8. July 2010 - December 2014, Chief of Total Force Wing Weapons and F-35 Program Integration, 419th Operations Support Flight, Hill AFB, Utah
9. January 2015 - May 2015, Director of Operations, 419th Operations Group Detachment 1, Hill AFB, Utah
10. June 2015 - July 2016, Chief of Operations and Training Branch, F-35 Integration Office, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. August 2016 - May 2018, Deputy Commander, 419th Operations Group, Hill AFB, Utah
12. June 2018 - April 2020, Commander, 466th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
13. May 2020 - July 2020, Special Assistant to the Commander, 419th Operations Group, Hill AFB, Utah
14. August 2020 - May 2020, Director of Commander’s Action Group, 10th Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas
15. June 2020 - November 2022, Commander, 301st Operations Group, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
16. November 2022 - Present, Commander, 301st Fighter Wing, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,600 including 114 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16 and F-35
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
(Current as of November 2022)