Colonel Luke J. Teel is the Commander of the 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. As the commander, he is responsible for the organization, training and deployment of one of the largest fighter wings in the United States Air Force, consisting of nearly 7,000 Airmen and civilians. The 4th FW is home to 94 F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft assigned to two operational and two training fighter squadrons, flying more than 12,000 sorties and 21,000 hours per year. The 4 FW partners with and provides overall host support for the 916th Air Refueling Wing and its KC-46 fleet. Prior to assuming his current position, Colonel Teel was the Vice Commander, 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.
Colonel Luke “Shack” Teel commissioned in 2001 from the U.S. Air Force Academy, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics. After completing a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, he attended the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot training at Sheppard AFB, Texas. After completing F-15E formal training at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, he then served in the 335th Fighter Squadron from 2005-2009.
Colonel Teel attended the U.S. Air Force Weapons School from July to December 2009, and then moved to RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom in January 2010. There, he served as the Chief of Weapons and Tactics for the 492nd Fighter Squadron, as well as the Wing Weapons Officer. From January 2012 until June 2013, Colonel Teel served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Secretary of the Air Force, and then completed the U.S. Marine Corps School of Advanced Warfighting. Colonel Teel was then reassigned to Seymour Johnson AFB serving as the Director of Operations for the 335th Fighter Squadron and then as the Commander of the 336th Fighter Squadron. After completing the National War College in 2018, Colonel Teel served as a Senior Plans Advisor to the Secretary of Defense.
Colonel Teel has over 500 combat hours in two combat tours in Afghanistan, and as the squadron weapons officer and mission commander during Operation ODYSSEY DAWN and UNIFIED PROTECTOR, as well as in the Horn of Africa.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelors of Science Degree in Economics, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2003 Masters of Public Policy, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
2014 Masters of Operational Studies, Marine Corps Univ. School of Advanced Warfighting, Quantico, Va.
2018 Masters of National Security Strategy, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
- June 2001 - June 2003, Graduate Student, JFK School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
- July 2003 - January 2005, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Sheppard AFB, Texas
- February 2005 - November 2005, F-15E Student Pilot, 334th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, N.C.
- November 2005 - June 2009, F-15E Evaluator Pilot/Training Officer, Weapons Officer and Flight Commander, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
- July 2009 - December 2009, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
- January 2010 - April 2011, Weapons and Tactics Flight Commander, 492nd Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
- May 2011 - December 2011, Wing Weapons Officer, 48th Operation Support Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
- January 2012 - June 2013, Aide-de-Camp to the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Va.
- July 2013 - June 2014, Student, School of Advanced Warfighting, Marine Corps University, Quantico Va. 10.
- August 2014 - June 2015, Director of Operations/ F-15E Evaluator Pilot, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, N.C.
- June 2015 - June 2017, Commander/F-15E Evaluator Pilot, 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, N.C.
- July 2017 - May 2018, Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
- June 2018 - June 2020, Senior Plans Advisor to the Secretary of Defense. Pentagon, Va.
- July 2020 - March 2022, 366 Fighter Wing Deputy Commander of Operations, 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho
- March 2022 - May 2022, Vice Commander, 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
- May 2022 - Present, Commander, 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, N.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENT
- June 2018 – June 2020, Senior Plans Advisor to the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Va., as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,700
Aircraft flown: F-15E
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Force Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2009 Weapons School Flying Award
2010 United States Air Forces in Europe Instructor of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 30 May 2001
First Lieutenant 30 May 2003
Captain 30 May 2005
Major 1 January 2011
Lieutenant Colonel 1 February 2015
Colonel 1 March 2019
(Current as of May 2022)