Colonel Christopher E. Menuey is the Commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. He leads more than 1,800 Air Force Airmen and Civilians in support of the nation’s land-based Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) mission. The wing operates, maintains and secures 150 Minuteman III ICBMs, 15 missile alert facilities and 150 remote launch facilities covering an 8,500 square-mile area in central North Dakota. The wing provides global deterrence and defends America with the world’s premier combat-ready ICBM force.
Colonel Menuey received his commission through the U.S. Air Force Academy in May 1996. He has served in a variety of assignments within the nuclear enterprise including operations, training, test and evaluation, safety, squadron command and deputy group command. His staff assignments include the Joint Staff and Air Force Space Command. Colonel Menuey is a School of Advanced Air and Space Studies graduate and was a National Defense Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Prior to his current position, Colonel Menuey was the Commander of the 341st Operations Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor's Degree in Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2002 Master's Degree in Human Resource Management, Troy State University, Troy, Ala. 2005 Marine Corps Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2010 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master's Degree in Philosophy, Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell, AFB, Ala.
2014 Air War College, by correspondence
2016 National Defense Fellow, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2019 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1996 - January 1997, Executive Officer, First Cadet Group, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2. January 1997 - October 1997, Student, Undergraduate Space and Missile Training, and Initial Qualification Training - Minuteman III, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
3. October 1997 - April 2000, Missile Combat Crew Commander and Deputy Crew Commander, 564th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
4. April 2000 - September 2002, Senior Instructor Crew Commander and Chief Training Requirements, 341st Operations Support Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
5. September 2002 - August 2005, ICBM Test Operations Officer, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
6. August 2005 - December 2005, Executive Officer, 595th Space Group, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
7. December 2005 - June 2008, Executive Officer, Chief Program Objective Memorandum Section, and Chief Force Application and Mission Support Section, Directorate of Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
8. June 2008 - July 2009, Legislative Liaison, Commander’s Action Group, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
9. July 2009 - June 2010, IDE Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 2010 - July 2011, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2011 - June 2012, Chief of Safety, 90th Missile Wing, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
12. June 2012 - July 2013, Commander, 90th Operations Support Squadron, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
13. July 2013 - July 2015, Deputy Commander, 90th Operations Group, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
14. July 2015 - July 2016, SDE Student, National Defense Fellow, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
15. July 2016 - July 2017, Joint Exercise Planner, Chairman’s Exercise Program Division, Joint Staff, J7, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
16. July 2017 - June 2018, Deputy Division Chief, Operations, Training and Standardization Division, Joint Staff, J33, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. July 2018 - July 2020, Commander, 341st Operations Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
18. July 2020 - Present, Commander, 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with bronze star device
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with ‘N’ device and four oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1996
First Lieutenant May 29, 1998
Captain May 29, 2000
Major May 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2011
Colonel October 1, 2017
(Current as of July 2020)