Col. Franklin E. Chalk Sr. is Commander, 186th Air Refueling Wing, Key Field Air National Guard Base, Meridian, MS. The 186 ARW is currently in conversion from the KC-135R Stratotanker II air refueling mission to the C-27J Spartan tactical airlift mission. In 2014 when the conversion is complete, the wing will consist of an operational squadron and serve as the formal training unit for the C-27J. The wing also supports one RC-26B counterdrug aircraft.
Colonel Chalk was born in Meridian, Mississippi. He attended Meridian Community College and received an Associate of Arts Degree in Accounting in 1974. After enlisting in the Mississippi Air National Guard and completing Undergraduate Navigator Training, he attended Mississippi State University - Meridian where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting in 1984. Colonel Chalk received a Masters of Commercial Aviation from Delta State University on Dec. 14, 2002.
Colonel Chalk received his commission through the Academy of Military Science, Knoxville, Tennessee on Nov. 16, 1978. After commissioning, he attended Undergraduate Navigator Training, Mather Air Force Base, California, which he completed on Nov. 17, 1979. On Dec. 27, 1979, he graduated from Tactical Navigation Training at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.
Prior to assuming his current position, Colonel Chalk served as Vice Commander, 186 ARW. Other military assignments include Squadron Navigator, Chief of Standardizations and Evaluations, Training Officer, Air Operations Officer, Squadron Commander, and Operations Group Commander.
Colonel Chalk served as the 153rd Air Refueling Squadron Detachment Commander while deployed in support of Operation Phoenix Duke II, Rhein Main Air Base, Germany, flying numerous air refueling missions over former Soviet Block countries. He also served as Detachment Commander for Operation Deliberate Forge, Operation Joint Forge, Istres, France and Operation Northern Viking, Keflavik, Iceland. Colonel Chalk was activated Oct. 17, 2001, deploying as Commander, 341 EARS, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He has served as the Commander of the 478th Expeditionary Operations Squadron, Manta, Ecuador, the 506th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and Viking South, Bahia Blanca, Argentina in support of the 2005 Summit of the Americas.
His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with one device; Air Medal; Aerial Achievement Medal; Air Force Commendation Medal with two devices; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two devices; Combat Readiness Medal with two devices; National Defense Service Medal with one device; Kosovo Campaign Medal with two devices; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal with one device; Humanitarian Service Medal; Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short; Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border; Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with four devices; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with one device; Air Force Training Ribbon; Mississippi Magnolia Cross; Mississippi Magnolia Medal; Mississippi War Medal with one device; Mississippi Emergency Service Medal.
EDUCATION
1974 Associates of Arts Degree in Accounting, Meridian Community College, Mississippi
1984 Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting, Mississippi State University, Mississippi
1989 Squadron Officer School, by Correspondence
1992 Air Command and Staff, by Correspondence
1998 Air War College, by Correspondence
1998 Air National Guard Antiterrorism Seminar, Meridian, Mississippi
2002 Masters of Commercial Aviation, Delta State University, Mississippi
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1978 - November 1979, student, undergraduate navigator training, Mather AFB, California
2. November 1979 - December 1979, student, weapons system officer, tactical navigation training, Shaw AFB, South Carolina
3. September 1980 - August 1982, traditional guardsman, RF-4C weapon system officer; 153rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Key Field ANGB, Meridian, Mississippi.
4. August 1982 - February 1990, traditional guardsman, RF-4C weapon system officer, standardization and evaluations officer, 153rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Key Field ANGB, Meridian, Mississippi.
5. February 1990 - November 1998, traditional guardsman; air technician (Sep. 1992) KC-135R master navigator, instructor/evaluator, 153rd Air Refueling Squadron, Key Field ANGB, Meridian, Mississippi
6. November 1998 - April 1999, master navigator, instructor/evaluator, operations officer, 153rd Air Refueling Squadron, Key Field ANGB, Meridian, Mississippi
7. April 1999 - September 2002, master navigator; instructor/evaluator, Squadron Commander and Air Operations Officer, 153rd Air Refueling Squadron, Key Field ANGB, Meridian, Mississippi
8. September 2002 - February 2007, Commander, 186th Air Refueling Operations Group, Key Field ANGB, Meridian, Mississippi
9. October 2003 - February 2007, Vice Wing Commander and Operations Group Commander, 186th Air Refueling Operations Wing, Key Field ANGB, Meridian, Mississippi
10. February 2007 - Present, Wing Commander, 186th Air Refueling Wing, Key Field ANGB, Meridian, Mississippi
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Evaluator/instructor master navigator
Flight hours: 4,400
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-43, RF-4C, KC-135R, R/C-26B
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant November 16, 1978
First Lieutenant November 16, 1981
Captain December. 3, 1983
Major February 5, 1991
Lieutenant Colonel Apr. 13, 1996
Colonel Oct. 1, 2002
(Current as of February 2012)