Former Albert Lea resident, Richard Nelson, was recently promoted to colonel in the United States Air Force.  Richard is the son of Jerry and Andrea Nelson, formerly of Albert Lea, now residing in Wittenberg, Wisconsin.  Those who attended the ceremony were Rich’s wife, Leanne, and their children: Hannah, Erik and Mitchell, as well as his parents, Jerry and Andrea.

Nelson is stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton Ohio, where he holds the position of Chief of the Maintenance Division in the Logistics Directorate of Air Force Material Command.

In this position he is responsible for maintenance policies and procedures for aircraft and munitions maintenance being performed within the command.  He graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1982 and has been in the Air Force since 1987 after graduating from the University of Minnesota.

Nelson has earned degrees at Squadron Officers’ School (1994), master’s degree in aeronautical science and aerospace from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (1999), Air Command and Staff College (1999) U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (2002) and Air War College (2006).

Following graduation from the University of Minnesota as a civil engineer he was stationed at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois. Subsequently Nelson has served in various positions at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.;, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.; McClellan AFB, Calif.; Commander 56th Repair Squadron, 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB Arizona, Student U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.; Randolph AFB, Texas; Beale AFB, Calif.; and presently Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

In addition, Nelson served remote assignments during Desert Storm and returned to Saudi Arabia to serve a second time after the Gulf War.

Nelson also served as base commander in Kyrgyzstan where the United States had a base which sent troops into Afghanistan.

Nelson and his family are residing in Beaver Creek, Ohio, where he is carrying out his present U.S. Air Force assignment at Wright-Patterson.