Col. Keith J. Butler is the commander of the 509th Bomb Wing and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. He is responsible for the combat readiness of the Air Force's only B-2 base, including development and employment of the B-2's combat capability as part of Air Force Global Strike Command.
Col. Butler enlisted in the Air Force in 1991. Selected for an Air Force ROTC scholarship in 1997, he earned his commission through ROTC at the University of South Carolina in 1999. After graduating, he served in operational, staff, and command assignments as an F-16, F-117, and B-2 pilot.
Col. Butler has held positions at the squadron, group, wing, major command, direct reporting unit, and Joint Staff levels. He has also flown combat missions in Operations Joint Forge, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. His staff assignments include Global Strike Command’s Advanced Programs Branch Chief at the Rapid Capabilities Office in Washington, D.C. and Joint Warfighting Capability Analyst in the Joint Staff. Prior to this assignment, he was the Commander of Detachment 5, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center at Edwards AFB, California.
Col. Butler is a command pilot with more than 2,100 flying hours in the T-37, T-38A, A/T-38B, F-16CG, F-117A, and B-2A.
EDUCATION
1994 Associate degree in Electronic Systems Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1995 Airman Leadership School, Shaw AFB, S.C. (Distinguished Graduate Award)
1999 Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations (cum laude), University of South Carolina 2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (Commandant’s Leadership Award)
2010 Master of Arts degree in Aeronautical Science (with distinction), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide Campus, Daytona Beach, Fla.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Air Force Fellow, National Laboratory Technical Fellowship Program, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, Calif.
2014 Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JPME II), Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2014 Graduate Certificate in Nuclear Weapons Effects, Policy, and Proliferation, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2017 Program for Emerging Leaders, Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2020 Secretary of Defense Executive Fellowship Program, Autodesk Inc., San Francisco, Calif.
2021 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington D.C.
2023 Leading Strategically Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1991 - June 1992, student, Air Traffic Control Radar Maintenance technical training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2. June 1992 – February 1995, Air Traffic Control Radar Maintenance Technician, 9th Communications Squadron, Beale AFB, Calif.
3. February 1995 – July 1995, student, Signals Intelligence Analyst Technical Training, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
4. July 1995 – August 1997, Signals Intelligence Analyst, 609th Air Intelligence Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
5. August 1997 – December 1999, Air Force ROTC cadet, University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C.
6. January 2000 – August 2000, Casual Lieutenant, 20th Operations Support Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
7. August 2000 – October 2001, student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
8. November 2001 – January 2002, student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Randolph AFB, Texas
9. January 2002 – October 2002, student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
10. October 2002 – June 2005, F-16CG Flight Lead, Chief of Squadron Mobility and Chief of Squadron Safety, 555th Fighter Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy
11. June 2005 – February 2007, F-117A Flight Lead, Chief of Squadron Life Support,9th Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
12. February 2007 – November 2007, Chief of Wing Scheduling, 49th Operations Support Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
13. November 2007 – May 2011, B-2A Instructor Pilot, Chief of Squadron Scheduling, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Flight Commander, and Assistant Director of Operations, 393rd Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
14. May 2011 – June 2012, Chief of Combat Plans, 509th Operations Support Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
15. July 2012 – June 2013, Intermediate Developmental Education, Air Force Fellow, National Laboratory Technical Fellowship Program, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, Calif.
16. July 2013 – July 2014, Global Strike Command Advanced Programs Branch Chief, Rapid Capabilities Office, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.
17. July 2014 – May 2016, Joint Warfighting Capability Analyst, Joint Requirements Oversight Council Secretariat, Joint Urgent Operational Needs Gatekeeper, and Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director for Requirements, J8, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
18. June 2016 – March 2017, Director of Operations, 13th Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
19. March 2017 – March 2019, Commander, 509th Operations Support Squadron, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
20. March 2019 – July 2019, Deputy Commander, 509th Operations Group, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
21. July 2019 – June 2020, Senior Developmental Education, Secretary of Defense Executive Fellow, Autodesk Inc., San Francisco, Calif.
22. June 2020 – July 2022, Commander, 509th Operations Group, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
23. July 2022 – June 2023, Commander, Detachment 5, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Edwards AFB, Calif.
24. June 2023 – present, Commander, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman AFB, Mo.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
July 2014 – May 2016, Joint Warfighting Capability Analyst, Joint Requirements Oversight Council Secretariat, Joint Urgent Operational Needs Gatekeeper, and Executive Assistant to the Deputy Director for Requirements, J8, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot Flight hours: more than 2,100, including 235 combat hours Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38A, A/T-38B, F-16CG, F-117A, and B-2A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Iraqi Campaign Medal with service star
2024 Truman Foundation's Philip Pistilli Silver Veteran's Medal
2024 National Aviation Hall of Fame's Milton Caniff Spirit of Flight Award (B-2 Spirit and Team Whiteman)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Airman Basic Oct. 2, 1991
Airman First Class Oct. 28, 1991
Senior Airman Aug. 1, 1993
Staff Sergeant July 1, 1996
Second Lieutenant Dec. 26, 1999
First Lieutenant Dec. 26, 2001
Captain Dec. 26, 2003
Major Aug. 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 2015
Colonel Feb. 1, 2020
(Current as of October 2024)