Col Sean P. Burke is the Deputy Commander, 375th Air Mobility Wing, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. In this position, he leads more than 2,900 personnel providing worldwide aeromedical evacuation, operational support airlift, and aerial refueling in furtherance of national security objectives. The 375th Air Mobility Wing also provides support to 36 mission partners, including United States Transportation Command, Air Mobility Command, and Eighteenth Air Force, as well as more than 13,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve, civilian, and contract personnel.
Col Burke entered active duty in May 2003 after earning his commission from the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Louisiana State University. Previously, he has served as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander of Air Mobility Command, 4th Airlift Squadron Commander, Wing Chief of Safety, C-17A Lead Airdrop Evaluator Pilot, and has staff experience in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Air Staff and deployed Joint and NATO staffs. Col Burke is married and has three children.
Col Burke is a Command Pilot, with over 3,400 flight hours, including more than 700 combat hours, in the C-21A, C-17A, T-1A, and T-37B, aircraft.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, Construction Management, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La.
2007 Master of Aeronautical Science, Aeronautical Operations, with Distinction, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2016 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2023 Master of National Resource Strategy, Distinguished Graduate, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2004 – April 2005, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Okla.
2. April 2005 – August 2005, Student, T-1A Pilot Instructor Training, Randolph AFB, Texas.
3. August 2005 – October 2008, T-1A Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, 32d Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, Okla.
4. October 2008 – March 2009, Student, C-17A Pilot Initial Qualification, Altus AFB, Okla.
5. March 2009 – October 2012, C-17A Lead Airdrop Evaluator Aircraft Commander, Operations Group Executive Officer and Squadron Deputy Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 437th Operations Group and 15th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
6. October 2012 – March 2014, Australia and New Zealand Country Director, Pacific Division, Regional Directorate, Deputy Undersecretary of the Air Force for International Affairs, Headquarters US Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
7. March 2014 – July 2015, Afghanistan-Pakistan Hand, Deputy Chief, Civil Aviation Transition Branch, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. and NATO Air Command-Afghanistan/9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan, Headquarters International Security Assistance Force/Resolute Support, Kabul, Afghanistan
8. July 2015 – June 2016, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. June 2016 – July 2018, Afghanistan-Pakistan Hand, Deputy Chief, Ministry of Defense Air Advisors, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. and NATO Air Command Afghanistan/9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan, Headquarters Resolute Support, Kabul, Afghanistan
10. July 2018 – February 2019, C-17A Instructor Pilot, Chief of Safety, 62d Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
11. February 2019 – March 2021, C-17A Instructor Pilot, Commander, 4th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
12. March 2021 – July 2022, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
13. July 2022 – June 2023, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort McNair, Washington, DC
14. June 2023 – June 2025, Deputy Director, Humanitarian Assistance and Response Operations, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Global Partnerships, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
15. June 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander, 375th Air Mobility Wing, Scott AFB, Ill.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2014 – July 2015, Afghanistan-Pakistan Hand, Deputy Chief, Civil Aviation Transition Branch, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. and NATO Air Command-Afghanistan/9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan, Headquarters International Security Assistance Force/Resolute Support, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a Major
2. June 2016 – July 2018, Afghanistan-Pakistan Hand, Deputy Chief, Ministry of Defense Air Advisors, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. and NATO Air Command-Afghanistan/9th Air and Space Expeditionary Task Force-Afghanistan, Headquarters Resolute Support, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a Major
3. June 2023 – June 2025, Deputy Director, Humanitarian Assistance and Response Operations, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Global Partnerships, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,400, including over 700 combat hours Aircraft flown: T-37B, T-1A, C-17A, C-21A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with four service stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with two service stars
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with “N” device Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal with two service stars NATO Meritorious Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 Air Education and Training Command T-1A Instructor Pilot of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 2003
First Lieutenant May 28, 2005
Captain May 28, 2007
Major November 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2018
Colonel July 1, 2024
(Current as of June 2025)