349th welcomes new Operations Group commander

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  • By 349th Air Mobility Wing
  • Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Colonel Matthew J. Burger took assumption of command of the 349th Operations Group, here, Nov. 19.
 
Colonel Burger is now the commander of the 349th OG, the largest operations group in the Air Force Reserve Command with four flying squadrons, an aeromedical evacuation squadron, an operations support flight, and an airlift control flight assigned. As group commander, he is responsible for the leadership, management, administration and development of programs to develop and train personnel to maintain combat readiness. In partnership with its active duty host wing, the group flies the C-5 "Galaxy," the KC-10 "Extender" and the C-17 "Globemaster III."

Colonel Burger began his career upon graduation from the Air Force Academy in 1990 followed by undergraduate helicopter training at Ft. Rucker Army Airfield, Ala. He served on active-duty as a HH-1 instructor pilot and chief of safety with the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. Following this tour, Colonel Burger transitioned to the HH-60G and was assigned to the 66th Combat Rescue Squadron where he rapidly upgraded to instructor pilot and served in current operations and standardization and evaluation. He completed his active-duty service with an overseas assignment to the 85th Operations Group at Keflavik Naval Air Station, Iceland, as chief of standardization and evaluation. Colonel Burger then transitioned directly to an Air Reserve Technician position at Patrick AFB, Fla., with the 301st Combat Rescue Squadron where he served as chief of current operations, chief of standardization and assistant director of operations. Following this tour, he served at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command as the functional manager and chief of training/tactics for rescue. Colonel Burger has also served as the deployed operations officer during multiple contingency operations in both Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Kuwait (Operation Southern Watch). During Hurricane Katrina alone he logged over 200 "saves." He is a command pilot with more than 4300 flying hours in the KC-135, HH-60G, HH-1H, and T-1.