Colonel Matthew G. Butler is the Commander of the 60th Mission Support Group, Travis Air Force Base, California. He leads more than 1,900 members across six squadrons delivering the installation’s mission support group missions to include civil engineering, communications, contracting, force support, security forces and logistics readiness. His team supports a base community of 135,000 people and oversees an annual budget of 100 million dollars with resources exceeding five billion dollars.
Col Butler was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in 2003 after graduating from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. He is a career Security Forces officer who commanded three squadrons including the defenses of the largest military base in the Middle East, as well as a contingency response squadron. In addition, Col Butler served as an airpower strategist with Air Force Skunk Works and the speechwriter for the Under Secretary of the Air Force. Prior to his current assignment, Col Butler co-developed the first ever Department of Defense Counter-Unmanned Systems Strategy, as the Senior Air Force Strategy Advisor to the Under Secretary of War for Policy (Strategy and Force Development), guiding the Joint Force’s approach to a threat spanning all domains, theaters, and epochs.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Arts, History, Miami University, Oxford, OH
2003 U.S. Air Force Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL (Outstanding Academic Performer)
2009 U.S. Air Force Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL (Chief of Staff Trophy, General Hinman Award)
2009 Master of Science, International Relations, Troy University, Troy, AL
2011 U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, VA (non-resident)
2012 Program for Emerging Leaders, Center for the Study of Weapons of Mass Destruction, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.
2013 U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL (non-resident)
2016 Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Washington D.C. (National Intelligence Council’s Barton Whaley Denial and Deception Research Award)
2019 Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, USAF School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, AL
2020 U.S. Air Force Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL (non-resident)
2024 Master of Science in National Security Strategy, National War College, Washington D.C. (Military Officers Association of America Writing Award)
2025 Strategy and Statecraft Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington D.C.
2026 Doctor of Philosophy, International Relations, Salve Regina University, Newport, RI
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2003 – August 2005, Flight Commander/Executive Officer, 88th Security Forces Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2. September 2005 - March 2006, Anti-Terrorism Officer, Plans & Contracting Office, U.S. Department of State and Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army, Baghdad, Iraq
3. April 2006 - October 2006, Anti-Terrorism Officer, 88th Security Forces Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
4. January 2007 – March 2008, Executive Officer, 37th Training Group, Lackland AFB, TX
5. March 2008 – January 2010, Expeditionary Training Flight Commander, 342d Training Squadron, Camp Bullis, TX
6. February 2010 – November 2010, Director of Operations/S-3, 99th Security Forces Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
7. January 2011 – June 2011, Combat Advisor, 25th Infantry Division, U.S. Army, Baghdad, Iraq
8. July 2011 – March 2012, (Provisional) Commander, 799th(P) Security Forces Squadron, Creech AFB, NV
9. June 2012 – July 2013, Chief, Commander’s Action Group, 99th Air Base Wing, Nellis AFB, NV
10. August 2013 – June 2015, Commander, 571st Global Mobility Readiness Squadron, Travis AFB, CA
11. August 2015 – June 2016, Student, National Intelligence University, Washington DC
12. August 2016 – June 2018, Commander, 325th Security Forces Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
13. July 2018 – June 2019, Student, School of Advanced Air & Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
14. August 2019 – May 2021, Airpower Strategist & Chief, Concepts Integration Branch, Futures & Concepts Division, Air Force Futures, Headquarters Air Force, Washington D.C.
15. June 2021 – June 2022, Commander, 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
16. June 2022 – June 2023, Speechwriter for the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Washington D.C.
17. June 2023 – June 2024, Research Fellow and Student, National War College, Washington D.C.
18. June 2024 – July 2026, Senior Air Force Strategy Advisor, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Policy (Strategy), Washington D.C.
19. July 2026 – Present, Commander, 60th Mission Support Group, Travis Air Force Base, California.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2024 – July 2026, Senior Air Force Strategy Advisor, Office of the Under Secretary of War for Policy (Strategy), Washington D.C., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 28, 2003
First Lieutenant, May 28, 2005
Captain, May 28, 2007
Major, October 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel, April 1, 2018
Colonel, July 1, 2024
(Current as of July 2026)