Colonel Bell is the Commander of the 35th Mission Support Group, Misawa Air Base, Japan. He is responsible for leading the Mission Support Group which consists of six diverse squadrons with more than 1,800 personnel. The Mission Support Group is responsible to the 35th Fighter Wing and associate units to safeguard and maintain the Misawa Air Base infrastructure. The group's operations comprise of expeditionary combat and mission readiness with facility and airfield maintenance, personnel and administrative support, installation and resource security, contracting, transportation, supply and logistics planning, chemical and explosive defense, communications and computer systems, and Quality of Life programs.
Colonel Bell received his commission from the University of Tennessee’s ROTC program in 2002. He has commanded at the squadron and flight levels, including joint command, and was the executive assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force’s Inspector General.
He has served in multiple theaters including SOUTHCOM, NORTHCOM, PACOM, and CENTCOM in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
EDUCATION
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Arts, Homeland Security, American Military University, Charles Town, W.Va., by correspondence
2014 Master of Science, Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Washington, DC. 2021
Master of Strategic Studies, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA
1. June 2002 - December 2004, Flight Commander, 99th Security Support Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada (February 2004 - September 2004, Operations Officer, 886th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron and 377th Theater Support Command Provost Marshal, Camp Arifjan Kuwait)
2. December 2004 - July 2005, OperationsOfficer,99 Security Support Squadron, Nellis AFB,NV
3. July 2005 - August 2007, Assistant Operations Officer, 3rd Security Forces Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
4. August 2007 - July 2008, Operations Officer, 3rd Security Forces Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska (September 2007 - March 2008, Officer in Charge of Training and Resources, 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan)
5. August 2008 - July 2010, Operations Officer, 62nd Security Forces Squadron, McChord AFB, Washington (December 2008 - June 2009, Operations Officer, 387th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Abdullah Al-Mubarak AB, Kuwait; December 2009 - June 2010, Antiterrorism Officer, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Joint Base Balad, Iraq)
6. August - December 2010, Action Officer, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
7. January 2011 - May 2012, Executive Assistant, The Inspector General, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
8. June 2012 – June 2013, Commander, Joint Security Forces, Joint Task Force-Bravo, Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras
9. July 2013 – July 2014, Student, Intermediate Developmental Education, National Intelligence University, Washington, D.C.
10. July 2014 – August 2016, Commander,325thSecurityForces Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Florida
11. August 2016 – April 2018, Division Chief, Air Force Security Forces Center, Joint Base San Antonio, TX
12. May 2018 – June 2020, Commander, 11th Security Forces Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, MD
13. July 2020 – June 2021, Student, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA
14. June 2021 – July 2023, Director of Operations and Training, Joint Region Marianas, Guam
15. July 2023 – Present, Commander, 35th Mission Support Group, Misawa Air Base, Japan
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2012 – June 2013, Commander, Joint Security Forces, Joint Task Force-Bravo, Soto Cano
Air Base, Honduras, as a Major
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Judge Allan Nathaniel Kornblum Award for best National Security Law Thesis, National Intelligence University, 2014
Headquarters Air Force A3/5 Company Grade Officer of the Year, 2010
Headquarters Air Force A5 Company Grade Officer of the Year, 2010
PUBLICATIONS
“Countering Swarms: Challenges and Opportunities in Drone Warfare,” Pending publication for Joint Force
Quarterly (January 2023 ed.)
“A Template for Inspecting Discipline: Baron Friedrich von Steuben’s Example,” TIG Brief (2012)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 29, 2002
First Lieutenant, May 29, 2004
Captain, May 29, 2006
Major, July 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel, January 1, 2016
Colonel, May 1, 2021
(Current as of July 2023)