PHOTO PROVIDED Lieutenant Colonel Andrew D. Calhoun, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 47th Operations Group, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, is pictured. Calhoun, originally from Lock Haven, will retire at the end of July after a distinguished career.

DEL RIO, Texas — Lieutenant Colonel Andrew D. Calhoun, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 47th Operations Group, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, will retire on July 31, 2026, with more than 22 years of service. A retirement ceremony was held on May 8, 2026, and was attended by his family.

Calhoun serves as second-in-command for Air Education and Training Command’s largest undergraduate pilot training group, responsible for 160 T-6 and T-38 aircraft. He leads 1,099 military, civilian and contractor personnel across six squadrons ensuring professional, disciplined and safe flying operations for more than 450 pilots and 10 air traffic control graduates per year.

Lieutenant Colonel Calhoun graduated from Central Mountain High School in 2000 and was commissioned through the ROTC program at Detachment 752, Wilkes University, Pa., in 2004. He earned his pilot wings at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, in 2006. He has held various positions at the Squadron, Group and Wing levels and flown numerous combat and support missions for Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Noble Eagle, New Dawn and Unified Response. In 2013, he deployed to Thumrait AB, Oman, as the Chief of Safety and Director of Staff for the 405 AEG, supporting Afghanistan retrograde and redeployment operations.

Lieutenant Colonel Calhoun is a Command Pilot with more than 4,800 flying hours in the KC-135, T-1, and T-6. In addition, he has flown the MD-88. His combat hours exceeded 1,100 hours.

Prior to this assignment, he served as the Commander, 96th Flying Training Squadron, the 6th Air Mobility Wing Chief of Current Operations and KC-135 evaluator pilot, 6th Air Mobility Wing, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. He is a graduate of Webster University, St Louis, Mo., where he earned a Master of Business Administration and Management.

Career military assignments include Maxwell AFB, Alabama; Luke AFB, Arizona; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Altus AFB, Oklahoma; Fairchild AFB, Washington; Randolph AFB, Texas; MacDill AFB, Florida. His final assignment was a return to Laughlin AFB in Texas.

Throughout his career, Lieutenant Colonel Calhoun was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters; Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters; Air and Space Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one star; Iraq Campaign Medal with one star; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Developmental Special Duty Ribbon with one oak leaf cluster; AETC Master Instructor Badge and Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters.

A celebration with family and friends was held in Pennsylvania earlier this month.

Lieutenant Colonel Calhoun resides in Del Rio, Texas. He is the proud father of two incredible children, Colt Walker and Macy Belle.