Al M. Niles, Jr

Al M. Niles, Jr
Born	1975 (age 49–50)
Branch	United States Army
Years of service	1997–present
Rank	Colonel
Unit	United States Special Operations Command 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne)
Battles / wars	Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom
Awards	Bronze Star Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medals (Three Oak leaf cluster) Order of Saint Maurice
Alma mater	Tuskegee University (BS) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (MS Aeronautical Science)(M.S. Aviation Safety) Florida Institute of Technology (M.S. Acquisition Management)

Al M. Niles Jr. (born 1975) is a United States Army Colonel who is a decorated aviator and served as a wing commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 for Task Force Warfighter.^[1]

Career

Niles received his commission in 1997 through Army ROTC at Tuskegee University where he became an Army aviator. His operational assignments included the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia; Camp Humphreys in Korea; Fort Wainwright in Alaska; and Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida.^[2] He has operated as an Airspace Command and Control Officer, Flight Operations Officer, and Maintenance Test Pilot for the CH-47D (Chinook). During Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005, he was a Task Force Warfighter commander. He is qualified in the CH-47D Chinook, OH-58 A/C, and TH-67 (Bell 206). He's deployed to combat and operational support details with conventional and special operations troops to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Bahrain, Kosovo, Kuwait, and Qatar.^[3]

References

1. "FACES OF THE FORCE: LT. COL. AL NILES JR". U.S. Army.
2. "TRANSFORMING 160TH SPECIAL OPS (AIRBORNE) COMBAT MISSION SIMULATION". Army Aviation Magazine. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
3. "Colonel counts Tuskegee Airmen among his mentors". theredstonerocketo. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.