COLONEL WILLIAM C. PLEASANTS (USAF, Ret)

Professor Pleasants teaches Professional Aviation Pathways, Aviation Safety, Theory of Flight, and Crew Resource Management at Middle Tennessee State University. Pleasants is a career Air Force Helicopter pilot with over 2600 flight hours in the T-37, T-38, UH-1H, UH-1N, TG-7 Motorglider, TH-53A, and MH-53J/M PAVELOW. His education includes a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the United States Air Force Academy and graduate degrees in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and in Military Operational Art and Science, from Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL.

After attending Undergraduate Pilot Training at Columbus AFB, MS, his first operational assignment was flying Huey’s at Fairchild AFB, WA, supporting the USAF Survival School. Later assignments in the MH-53 included a remote tour in South Korea, over two years at Hurlburt Field, FL, and a tour at the helicopter schoolhouse at Kirtland AFB, NM. He completed three years as the Commander of Cadet Squadrons 18 and 16 at the US Air Force Academy and attended Air Command and Staff College in Montgomery, AL. He returned to the UH-1N as the Director of Operations for the 54th Helicopter Squadron, Minot AFB, ND, and then commanded the 37th Helicopter Squadron, Francis E. Warren AFB, WY. For his joint tour, he was the Commander of Special Operations Command – Joint Capabilities, US Special Operations Command, Suffolk, VA. He was then Commander of Air Force ROTC Det 780 & Professor of Aerospace Studies at South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD. While in SD, he was deployed to command the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Before retiring from the Air Force in 2018, Colonel Pleasants was the Command Centers Division Chief and a Battle Watch Commander for USSTRATCOM. After service in the US Air Force, he was the Director of Flight and Maintenance Training at MD Helicopters, Inc. in Mesa, AZ. Prior to instructing at MTSU, he was the Helicopter Program Chair & Assistant Professor of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in Prescott, AZ

EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with Military Distinction, United States Air Force Academy, CO
1997 Asia Pacific Orientation Course (APOC), Osan AB, Republic of Korea
1997 Joint Aerospace Computer Applications Course, Hurlburt Field, FL
1998 Flight Instructor Preparatory Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
1998 MH-53J Instructor Qualification, Kirtland AFB, NM
1998 Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, MAWTS-1, Yuma MCAS, AZ
1999 Squadron Officer’s School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
1999 Electronic Warfare Fundamentals/Applications Training, Randolph AFB, TX
2001 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
2002 Air Education and Training Command Aircrew Master Instructor Badge, Kirtland AFB, NM
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Non-Resident
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2006 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2008 Air War College, Non-Resident
2008 Safety and Accident Board President Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
2009 Air Force Nuclear Management Fundamentals, Kirtland AFB, NM
2010 Joint and Combined Warfighting School-JPME Phase II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
2013 Detachment Commander Instructor and Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2014 Evasion and Conduct After Capture Course, Lackland AFB, TX
2014 Air Advisor Basic Course - Afghanistan, McGuire AFB, NJ

ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 92 – Oct 93, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Class 94-01, Columbus AFB, MS
2. Nov 93 – Feb 94, Rotary Wing Qualification Course, Ft Rucker, AL
3. Mar 94 – Jun 94, UH-1N Mission Qualification Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
4. Jun 94 – Aug 95, UH-1N Mission Pilot, 36th Rescue Flight, Chief of Current Operations, Supervisor of Flying, Fairchild AFB, WA
5. Sep 95 – Jul 96, Student, MH-53J Mission Qualification Course, Kirtland AFB, NM
6. Aug 96 – Aug 97, MH-53J Mission Pilot, 31st Special Operations Squadron, Chief of Training, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
7. Sep 97 – Oct 99, MH-53J/M Evaluator Pilot, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Resource Advisor, Chief of Training, Standardization and Evaluation, Hurlburt Field, FL
8. Nov 99 – May 02, MH-53J Evaluator Pilot, 551st Special Operations Squadron, Chief of Scheduling, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Supervisor of Flying, Kirtland AFB, NM
9. Jun 02 – Jul 05, Commander, Cadet Squadrons 18 and 16, and Deputy Commander-Cadet Group 2, US Air Force Academy, CO
10. Aug 05 – Jun 06, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
11. Jul 06 – May 08, Director of Operations, UH-1N Instructor Pilot, 54th Helicopter Squadron, Minot AFB, ND
12. Jun 08 – Jun 10, Commander, UH-1N Evaluator Pilot, 37th Helicopter Squadron, Francis E. Warren AFB, WY
13. Jun 10 – Jun 13, Commander, Special Operations Command – Joint Capabilities, US Special Operations Command, Suffolk, VA
14. Jun 13 – Nov 14, Commander, AFROTC Det 780, Professor of Aerospace Studies, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
15. Dec 14 – Nov 15, Commander, 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, Kandahar, Afghanistan
16. Dec 15 – May 18, Chief, Command Centers Division and Battle Watch Commander, US Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE
17. Jun 18 – Aug 19, Director, Flight & Maintenance Training, MD Helicopters, Inc., Mesa, AZ
18. Aug 19 – Aug 24, Prog Chair, Rotor & Asst Professor of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, AZ
19. Aug 24 – Present, Assistant Professor, Aerospace Department, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Superior Service Medal National Defense Service Medal [1 bronze star]
Bronze Star Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal Kosovo Campaign Medal [1 bronze star]
Meritorious Service Medal [4 oak-leaf clusters] Afghanistan Campaign Medal [1 bronze star]
Joint Service Commendation Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal [2 oak-leaf clusters] Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal Korean Defense Service Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Combat Readiness Medal [2 oak-leaf clusters] Non-Article 5 NATO Medal

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
-Supported the US National Search and Rescue (SAR) plan and saved two lives in Washington.
-551st Special Operations Squadron Instructor Pilot of the Year 2000 and 2001.
-Special Operations Liaison to Joint Forces Air Component Commander, Combined Air Operations Center, Vicenza, Italy. [Ensured SOF assets in place to rescue downed F-117 and F-16 pilots & planned SOF Psychological Operation leaflet drops to support air strikes.]
-Director, Personnel Recovery Coordination Center, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. [Planned and executed PR missions saving two lives after a vehicle accident in Ethiopia, two lives after detention and completing a successful medical evacuation from the USS Shreveport.]

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1992
First Lieutenant May 27, 1994
Captain May 27, 1996
Major December 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2007
Colonel February 1, 2014
Colonel (USAF, Retired) July 31, 2018
(Current as of February 2025)

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