Colonel Ryan A. Mowers
Col Ryan Mowers is Deputy Commander of the 914th Air Refueling Wing, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, NY. In this role he assists with the organizing, training and equipping of 1,454 personnel to provide combat-ready forces for global mobility and strategic deterrence to the Joint Force, Air Mobility Command’s worldwide air refueling mission and U.S. Strategic Command’s nuclear deterrence mission. Along with these functions, the 914th supports passenger and cargo transport, aeromedical evacuation, and other combat support missions around the globe.
Col Mowers was raised in Dolgeville, NY and is a graduate of Ithaca College. He obtained his commission into the Air Force Reserve in 2006 through the Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, AL with follow-on assignments for Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base, OK and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, TX where he was a Distinguished Graduate. Upon completion of Initial Qualification in the C-130H, he went on to serve as an Instructor and Evaluator Pilot in the 328th as well as serving in the roles of Assistant Chief of Tactics, Flight Commander, and Chief Pilot.
Along with the 328th ARS, Lt Col Mowers transitioned to the KC-135R aircraft in 2017, regaining his qualification as Evaluator Pilot and serving as Chief, Operations Group Standards and Evaluations as well as Deputy Operations Group Commander. He has performed in multiple deployed roles in both the C-130 and KC-135 to include Assistant Director of Operations, accumulating over 500 hours of combat flight hours. In his civilian capacity, Lt Col Mowers began flying for a major airline in 2019 and currently serves as a First Officer in the Airbus 320. He is a Command Pilot with more than 4500 total flight hours.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, Clinical Science, Ithaca College, NY.
2004 Master of Science, Physical Therapy, Ithaca College, NY.
2011 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2020 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2023 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. May 2006 - August 2006, Trainee, Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2. September 2006 – February 2007, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Flight Training, Vance AFB, Oklahoma
3. February 2007 – November 2007, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Flight Training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas
4. December 2007 – June 2008, Student, C-130H Initial Qualification, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
5. July 2008 – September 2014, Assistant Chief of Tactics, Assistant Flight Commander, C-130H Instructor Pilot, 328 AS, Niagara Falls ARS, New York (January 2011 – May 2011, Tactics Officer, 746 EAS, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
6. October 2014 – December 2016, Chief Pilot, Evaluator Pilot 328 AS, Niagara Falls ARS, New York (May 2016 – September 2016 Assistant Director of Operations, 746 EAS, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
7. January 2017 – May 2017, Student, KC-135R Transition Course, Altus AFB, Oklahoma
8. May 2017 – September 2019, Chief, 914 OG Standards and Evaluations, Mission Pilot, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
9. October 2019 – June 2021, Deputy Operations Group Commander, Instructor Pilot, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
10. June 2021 – June 2024, Commander, 328th ARS, Evaluator Pilot, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
11. June 2024 – March 2025, Deputy Operations Group Commander, Evaluator Pilot, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
12. April 2025- Present, Deputy Commander, 914th Air Refueling Wing, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 4500
Aircraft flown: T-6, TC-12, C-130H, KC-135R, Airbus 319/320/321
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Distinguished Graduate, Undergraduate Pilot Training
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION [MILITARY ONLY]
Second Lieutenant August 11, 2006
First Lieutenant August 11, 2008
Captain August 11, 2010
Major August 11, 2015
Lieutenant Colonel September 2, 2020
(Current as of April 2025)
Col Mowers was raised in Dolgeville, NY and is a graduate of Ithaca College. He obtained his commission into the Air Force Reserve in 2006 through the Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, AL with follow-on assignments for Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base, OK and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, TX where he was a Distinguished Graduate. Upon completion of Initial Qualification in the C-130H, he went on to serve as an Instructor and Evaluator Pilot in the 328th as well as serving in the roles of Assistant Chief of Tactics, Flight Commander, and Chief Pilot.
Along with the 328th ARS, Lt Col Mowers transitioned to the KC-135R aircraft in 2017, regaining his qualification as Evaluator Pilot and serving as Chief, Operations Group Standards and Evaluations as well as Deputy Operations Group Commander. He has performed in multiple deployed roles in both the C-130 and KC-135 to include Assistant Director of Operations, accumulating over 500 hours of combat flight hours. In his civilian capacity, Lt Col Mowers began flying for a major airline in 2019 and currently serves as a First Officer in the Airbus 320. He is a Command Pilot with more than 4500 total flight hours.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, Clinical Science, Ithaca College, NY.
2004 Master of Science, Physical Therapy, Ithaca College, NY.
2011 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2020 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2023 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. May 2006 - August 2006, Trainee, Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2. September 2006 – February 2007, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Flight Training, Vance AFB, Oklahoma
3. February 2007 – November 2007, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Flight Training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas
4. December 2007 – June 2008, Student, C-130H Initial Qualification, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas
5. July 2008 – September 2014, Assistant Chief of Tactics, Assistant Flight Commander, C-130H Instructor Pilot, 328 AS, Niagara Falls ARS, New York (January 2011 – May 2011, Tactics Officer, 746 EAS, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
6. October 2014 – December 2016, Chief Pilot, Evaluator Pilot 328 AS, Niagara Falls ARS, New York (May 2016 – September 2016 Assistant Director of Operations, 746 EAS, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
7. January 2017 – May 2017, Student, KC-135R Transition Course, Altus AFB, Oklahoma
8. May 2017 – September 2019, Chief, 914 OG Standards and Evaluations, Mission Pilot, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
9. October 2019 – June 2021, Deputy Operations Group Commander, Instructor Pilot, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
10. June 2021 – June 2024, Commander, 328th ARS, Evaluator Pilot, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
11. June 2024 – March 2025, Deputy Operations Group Commander, Evaluator Pilot, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
12. April 2025- Present, Deputy Commander, 914th Air Refueling Wing, Niagara Falls ARS, New York
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 4500
Aircraft flown: T-6, TC-12, C-130H, KC-135R, Airbus 319/320/321
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Distinguished Graduate, Undergraduate Pilot Training
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION [MILITARY ONLY]
Second Lieutenant August 11, 2006
First Lieutenant August 11, 2008
Captain August 11, 2010
Major August 11, 2015
Lieutenant Colonel September 2, 2020
(Current as of April 2025)