Colonel Kenneth C. McGhee is the Commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. 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 McGhee earned his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1998 from the University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee. A career nuclear officer, Colonel McGhee has served in a variety of assignments within the nuclear enterprise with duties related to intercontinental ballistic missile operations, training, and maintenance. His staff assignments include positions within Twentieth Air Force, United States Strategic Command, Air Force Global Strike Command, and the Joint Staff. Colonel McGhee is a graduate of the National Laboratories Technical Fellowship Program at Sandia National Laboratory and National War College. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as the 341st Operations Group Commander, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, Political Science, Rhodes College, Memphis, Tenn.
2002 Master of Science, Business Administration, Troy State University, Troy, Ala.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2011 Air Force Fellows, National Laboratories Technical Fellowship Program, Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, N.M.
2013 Air War College, by correspondence
2013 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2018 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 99 - December 99, Student, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
2. December 99 - July 04, Missile Combat Crew Member, Evaluator, and Instructor, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
3. July 04 - May 06, Instructor and Flight Commander of Student Operations, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg, AFB, Calif.
4. May 06 - July 07, Aide de Camp to the Twentieth Air Force Commander, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
5. July 07 - August 08, Resources and Operations Flight Commander, 90th Maintenance Operations Squadron, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
6. August 08 - July 09, Maintenance Operations Officer, 90th Maintenance Operations Squadron, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
7. July 09 - June 10, Maintenance Operations Officer, 90th Missile Maintenance Squadron F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
8. June 10 - August 11, Air Force Fellow, National Laboratories Technical Fellowship Program, Albuquerque, N.M.
9. August 11 - February 12, Chief of Operations, Global Operations Center, Global Operations Directorate, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
10. February 12 - July 13, Executive Officer to the Deputy Director, Global Operations (DJ3), Global Operations Directorate, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
11. July 13 - August 14, Operations Officer, 740th Missile Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
12. August 14 - November 14, Wing Inspector General, Minot AFB, N.D.
13. November 14 - May 16, Commander, 741st Missile Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
14. May 16 - July 17, Director, Commander’s Action Group, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La.
15. July 17 - Jun 18, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Fort Leslie J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
16. July 18 - July 19, Deputy Chief, National Military Command System Operations Division, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
17. July 19 - June 20, Chief, National Military Command System Operations Division, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
18. June 20 - June 22, Commander, 341st Operations Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
19. June 22 - Present, Commander, 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with four oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with “N” Device
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1998
First Lieutenant May 27, 2000
Captain May 27, 2002
Major September 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel February 1, 2013
Colonel May 1, 2019
(Current as of June 2022)