Colonel Erica Rabe is the vice commander, 11th Wing, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. In this role, she is responsible for ensuring security, personnel, contracting, finance, medical and infrastructure support to the 11th Wing and approximately 70 mission partner units on the approximately 1,000-acre installation, as well as ensuring overall support to more than 17,000 military and civilian employees and their families throughout the National Capital Region.
Colonel Rabe grew up in Fairborn, Ohio, and entered the Air Force in 1998 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at THE Ohio State University. She is a career personnel officer who has served at various levels including the Air Staff, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Air Force Personnel Center, Headquarters 24th Air Force, and Headquarters Pacific Air Forces. She commanded the 802nd Force Support Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio, and completed multiple deployments to the U.S. Air Forces Central Command’s Combined Air Operations Center, directly supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Arts, Criminology, The Ohio State University, Ohio
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2009 Master of Public Administration, Troy University, Alabama
2012 Master of Military Operational Arts and Sciences, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2017 Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, Ft McNair,
Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1998 – February 1999, Special Assistant to the Commander, AFROTC Detachment 645, THE Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
2. August 1999 – July 2000, Squadron Section Commander, 1st Component Repair Squadron, Langley AFB, Virginia
3. July 2000 – August 2001, Squadron Section Commander, 1st Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Langley AFB, Virginia
4. August 2001 – April 2002, Executive Officer, 9th Air Force/United States Central Command Air Forces Headquarters, Shaw AFB, South Carolina
5. April 2002 – August 2003, Chief of Protocol, 9th Air Force/United States Central Command Air Forces Headquarters, Shaw AFB, South Carolina
6. August 2003 – September 2005, Assistant Executive Officer, Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Virginia
7. September 2005 – October 2007, Aide De Camp to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Virginia
8. October 2007 – December 2008, Deputy Chief, Personnel Division, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
9. December 2008 – June 2011, Chief, Senior Leader Management, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
10. June 2011 – June 2012, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
11. June 2012 – August 2013, Director of Manpower, Personnel and Services, 24th Air Force Headquarters, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
12. August 2013 – January 2016, Commander, 802nd Force Support Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
13. January 2016 – July 2016, Deputy Director, Personnel Programs, Air Force Personnel Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
14. July 2016 – June 2017, Student, Eisenhower School, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
15. June 2017 – September 2019, Military Deputy to the Executive Director, Force Resiliency, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel & Readiness, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
16. September 2019 – May 2020, Chief, Air Force Learning Division, Force Development, Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel & Services, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
17. May 2020 – Present, Vice Commander, 11th Wing, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, April 19, 1998
First Lieutenant, April 19, 2000
Captain, April 19, 2002
Major, Aug. 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel, Jan. 1, 2013
Colonel, May 1, 2019
(Current as of June 2020)