Colonel Valentin (Val) Maldonado III serves as the Deputy Commander, 406th Air Expeditionary Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He directly supports and provides oversight for more than 1,300 deployed military personnel at six locations across Africa and Europe. As the sole U.S. Air Force wing on the continent of Africa, the 406th Air Expeditionary Wing provides base operational support; communications integration; senior airfield authority; personnel recovery; casualty evacuation; armed remotely piloted aircraft launch and recovery; and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations for United States Africa Command.
Col. Maldonado entered the Air Force on 22 August 1990. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, University College while serving as an enlisted air traffic controller in the United States Air Force. In 2001, he was commissioned through the United States Air Force Officer Training School. Col. Maldonado’s command assignments include Commander, 53d Air Traffic Control Squadron, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia and as the Deputy Commander of the 435th Contingency Response Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
Prior to assuming his current position, he served as Command Inspector General for the United States Africa Command.
EDUCATION
1996 Associate of Arts, Okaloosa County Community College, Fla.
1996 Associate Degree in Airway Science, Community College of the Air Force
2000 Bachelor of Arts, Management Studies, University of Maryland, University College
2001 Officer Training School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2001 13M Officer Training Program, Laughlin AFB, Texas
2001 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Business Administration, Trident University International, Calif.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Army Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, Kan.
2021 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2023 National War College, Ft Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August - December 1990, Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. January - February 1991, student, Air Traffic Control Technical Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
3. February 1991 - August 1993, Air Traffic Control Journeyman, 354th Communication Squadron, Myrtle Beach AFB, S.C.
4. August 1993 - August 1996, Air Traffic Control Journeyman, 16th Operations Support Squadron, Hurlburt Field Air Base, Fla.
5. August 1996 - January 2001, Air Traffic Control Supervisor, 18th Operations Support Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
6. February - May 2001, student, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
7. May 2001 - January 2004, Airfield Operations Systems Officer, 366th Operations Support Squadron, Mountain Home AFB,
Idaho (December 2002 - April 2003, Deputy Chief, Air Traffic Control Cell, Air Operations Center, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia)
8. January 2004 - June 2006, Airfield Operations Officer, 325th Operations Support Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
9. June 2006 - May 2010, Airfield Operations Flight Commander, 412th Operations Support Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
(December 2009 - July 2010, Squadron Operations Officer, 447th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Camp Sather, Baghdad, Iraq)
10. May 2010 - April 2011, Deputy Chief, Airfield Management Division, Headquarters Air Force Flight Standards Agency, Okla.
(April 2011 - November 2011, Senior Air Traffic Control Officer, International Security Assistance Force, Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan)
11. April 2011 - April 2013, Chief, Air Traffic Control Division, Headquarters Air Force Flight Standards Agency, Okla.
12. April 2013 - June 2014, Director of Operations, 72d Operations Support Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
13. June 2014 - June 2015, student, Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, Kan.
14. June 2015 - August 2016, Deputy Chief, Department of Defense, Next Generation Air Transportation System Lead Service Office, Directorate of Future Operations, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C.
15. August 2016 - May 2017, Chief, Requirements and Resources, Military-Civilian Aviation Integration Division, Directorate of Future Operations, Headquarters United States Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. June 2017 - June 2019, Commander, 53d Air Traffic Control Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
17. June 2019 - June 2021, Deputy Commander, 435th Contingency Response Group, Ramstein AB, Germany
18. June 2021 - June 2022, Chief, Airspace and Airfield Operations Branch, United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
19. August 2022 - June 2023, student, National War College, Ft Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
20. July 2023 - June 2025, Command Inspector General, United States Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany
21. July 2025 - present, Deputy Commander, 406th Expeditionary Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Award
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 Officer Training School Distinguished Graduate
2005 Headquarters, Air Education and Training Command, Derrel L. Dempsey Officer of the Year
2008 Headquarters, Air Force Materiel Command, Derrel L. Dempsey Officer of the Year
2009 Headquarters, Air Force Materiel Command, Derrel L. Dempsey Officer of the Year