Col. Robert A. Underwood is the Commander of the 134th Air Refueling Wing, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee. His responsibilities include executing yearly budgets in excess of $50 million ensuring the readiness of more than 1170 personnel and 10 KC-135R aircraft to meet Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) requirements as well as mission assurance command and control for gaining combatant commanders. McGhee Tyson also hosts the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center. Col. Underwood concurrently serves as the Director of Operations for the Tennessee Air National Guard at Joint Force Headquarters, Nashville, Tenn.
Col. Underwood began his military career in 1989 as an enlisted aircraft maintenance technician at the 134th Air Refueling Wing with the Tennessee Air National Guard, and subsequently the 192nd Fighter Wing, Virginia Air National Guard. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant from the Academy of Military Science in 1995, and completed Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB, Texas, in 1996. Prior to his current position, the colonel was the Vice Commander at 134th Air Refueling Wing ANGB, Tenn.
Col. Underwood is a command pilot with over 8,000 flying hours. He has flown missions and/or served in staff positions supporting operations NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH, DELIBERATE GUARD, NOBLE EAGLE, IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, UNIFIED PROTECTOR, INHERENT RESOLVE, Icelandic Air Defense Alert, and has served as Commander for the 506th expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam. The colonel has also served as Commander of the 151st Air Refueling Squadron, the 134th Operations Group, and Director of Operations, Tennessee Air National Guard.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science degree in Logistics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn. 1996 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas 2002 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence 2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence 2013 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1.November 1994 – Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2.August 1996 – Initial Qualification Training, KC-135, Altus AFB, Okla.
3.December 1996 – Initial Assignment, KC-135, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
4.April 1999 – Aircraft Commander Upgrade, KC-135, McClellan AFB, Calif.
5.October 1999 – March 2002 Command and Control Officer, 134th Air Refueling Wing, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
6.April 2002 – January 2004 Chief of Wing Safety, 134th Air Refueling Wing, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
7.February 2004 – November 2006 Tactics Officer, 134th Air Refueling Wing, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
8.December 2006 – December 2008, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 134th Air Refueling Wing, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
9.January 2009 – April 2011, Flight Commander, 151st Air Refueling Squadron, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
10.May 2011 – September 2014, Commander, 151st Air Refueling Squadron, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
11.October 2014 – July 2018, Commander, 134th Operations Group, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn. (2016, Commander, 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Anderson AFB, Guam)
12.August 2018 – August 2021, Vice Commander, 134th Air Refueling Wing, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn. (2019, Commander, 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam)
13.September 2021 – Present, Director of Operations, Tenn. ANG
14.August 2024 – Present, Commander, 134th Air Refueling Wing, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Tenn.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 8,000
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-1, KC-135D, KC-135E, and KC-135R
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal Meritorious Unit Award with bronze oak leaf cluster
AF Outstanding Unit Award with silver oak leaf cluster and bronze oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with one silver and three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short Tour Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Air Force Longevity Service with one silver and one bronze oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 7 “M” devices and hourglass device
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant November 17, 1994
First Lieutenant November 17, 1996
Captain November 17, 1998
Major November 17, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel January 12, 2009
Colonel October 2, 2014
(Current as of August 2024)