Colonel ERIC A. UNDERHILL

Col. Eric A. Underhill is a Joint Qualified Officer who currently serves as the Deputy Commander, 109th Airlift Wing, Stratton Air National Guard Base, New York. He provides leadership and management of the flying unit while organizing, training and equipping more than 1,160 base personnel to support worldwide Department of Defense national objectives and New York National Guard requirements. The Wing is home to the world’s ten ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules aircraft operating from unprepared ice and snow surfaces, annually executing Operation Deep Freeze missions in the most austere polar regions of Antarctica and Greenland.

The Colonel entered the Army Reserve in June 1989. In 1990, he deployed to Saudi Arabia and Iraq in Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Following this deployment, he served in various Military Police roles until 1999. At that time, he was selected as a member of the Army Reserve National Combat Team. In 2001, he transferred to the New York Air National Guard and, shortly thereafter, was activated in support of Operation Noble Eagle in result of 9/11. Following that activation, he was commissioned through the Academy of Military Science in April 2002.

Throughout much of his Air Force career, he has served as an Engineer, Operations Officer, and, ultimately, Squadron Commander in the 213th Engineering Installation Squadron. During this time, he also deployed several times to the Southwest Asia Area of Responsibility in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. In October 2019, he was selected as the Deputy Director for Joint Operations / J3 and then, in February 2021, Director for Joint Operations / J3 for the New York National Guard. In these positions he directed the operations of over 3,500 service members at over 125 mission sites in support of the response to COVID-19.

Prior to his current position, Col. Underhill was the Commander of the 109th Mission Support Group, 109th Airlift Wing.

EDUCATION

ASSIGNMENTS

1. June 1989 – December 1990, Military Police Officer, 306^th Military Police Co., Chester, Vt. (December 1990 – June 1991, Military Police Officer, 18^th Airborne Corps, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia/Iraq)
2. June 1991 – September 1999, Military Police Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO), 344^th Military Police Co., New Haven, Conn.
3. September 1999 – August 2001, NCO, Army Reserve National Combat Team, Ft. Benning, Ga.
4. August 2001 – April 2002, Security Forces NCO, 105^th Security Forces Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y.
5. April 2002 – June 2003, Engineering Officer, 213^th Engineering Installation Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y.
6. June 2003 – January 2004, Deputy Operations Officer, 213^th Engineering Installation Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y. (January 2004 – July 2004, Engineering Installation Assistant OIC, 332^nd Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Balad Air Base, Iraq)
7. July 2004 – October 2004, Deputy Operations Officer, 213^th Engineering Installation Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y. (October 2004 – February 2005, Engineering Installation Assistant OIC, 447th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Sather Air Base, Iraq)
8. February 2005 – October 2005, Operations Officer, 213^th Engineering Installation Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y. (October 2005 – December 2005, Engineering Installation OIC, 506th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq)
9. December 2005 – April 2007, Operations Officer, 213^th Engineering Installation Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y. (October 2006 – April 2007, Assistant OIC, Joint Interagency Coordination Group, Counter Narcotics – Forward, Camp Eggers, Afghanistan)
10. April 2007 – June 2016, Cyber Operations Officer, 213^th Engineering Installation Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y.
11.  June 2017 – October 2019, Commander, 213th Engineering Installation Squadron, Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y.
12.  October 2019 – February 2021, Deputy Director, J3, Joint Force Headquarters, N.Y.
13.  February 2021 - August 2023,Director, J3, Joint Force Headquarters, N.Y.
14.  August 2023 – June 2024,Commander, 109th Airlift Wing Mission Support Group, Stratton ANGB, N.Y.
15.  June 2024 – Present, Deputy Commander, 109th Airlift Wing, Stratton Air National Guard Base, N.Y.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

(Current as of June 2024)