Colonel Elissa Granderson is the Commander of the 302d Airlift Wing, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. She is responsible for the organization, training and equipping of more than 1,400 Air Force reservists and civilian professionals. The wing is equipped with eight C-130H Hercules aircraft used globally on medium-range airlift, tactical airland and airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and Modular Airborne Firefighting System missions. The 302d AW is the only aerial firefighting wing in the Air Force Reserve.
Col. Granderson enlisted in October 1992 and graduated from intelligence training June 1993. She received her commission via the Academy of Military Sciences in May 1997, and graduated from pilot training in 1999. Col. Granderson has 32 years of service in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, having served with the Arkansas Air National Guard, as an imagery analyst and C-130E/H pilot, the Missouri ANG as the Air Tasking Order Production Chief and the Air Mobility Division Execution Chief, and Air Force Reserve squadrons in Arkansas and Mississippi as a C-130J Instructor Pilot. Prior to her current position, she was the Deputy Commander and Commander consecutively of the 403rd Operations Group, 403rd Wing, Air Force Reserve Command, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi.
Col. Granderson is a command pilot with more than 3,000 hours in the C-130E/H/J supporting tactical airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuations, close air support and weather reconnaissance. She has participated in numerous multinational training exercises as both a pilot and a subject matter expert in the Combined Air Operations Centers in North and South America, Pacific, and Europe, supporting Pacific Sentry, Talisman Sabre, Bersama Warrior, Blue Flag, Cobra Gold, Cope North, Silver Arrow and Swift Response. Additionally, she has supported drug interdiction missions, humanitarian relief efforts, and deployments in the C-130E/H/J and the Combined Air Operations Centers in Southeast Asia, Caribbean, and Africa in support of Operations Pacer Coin, Southern Watch, Outback, Coronet Oak, Noble Eagle, Joint Forge, Hurricane Katrina, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom, Resolute Sentinel, Inherent Resolve, and Octave Quartz.
EDUCATION
1994 Associate of Arts, Communications Applications Technology, Community College of the Air Force
1995 Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, Ark.
2004 Associate of Arts, Paralegal Technologies, Pulaski Technical College, North Little Rock, Ark.
2007 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2016 Master of Arts, Military Operational Art and Science and Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2022 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1992 - December 1997, Imagery Analyst, 123rd Reconnaissance Technical Squadron, 189th Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
2. December 1997 - February 1999, Student Pilot, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. February 1999 - December 2005, C-130E/H Pilot, 154th Training Squadron, 189th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
4. January 2006 - July 2007, Individual Ready Reserve, Reserve Active Status List
5. July 2007 - March 2014, C-130J Pilot, 815th Airlift Squadron, 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss.
6. March 2014 - January 2016, Special Instructions Coordinator, 157th Air Operations Group, 181st Bomb Wing, Jefferson Barracks, Mo.
7. January 2016 - July 2016, Air Mobility Division Execution Chief, 609th Combined Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
8. July 2016 - May 2018, Air Tasking Order Production Chief, 157th Air Operations Group, 181st Bomb Wing, Jefferson Barracks, Mo.
9. May 2018 - November 2021, Director of Operations and Chief of Safety, 327th Airlift Squadron, 913th Airlift Group, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
10. November 2021 - May 2022, Executive Officer, 22nd Air Force, Dobbins AFB, Ga.
11. May 2022 - June 2023, Deputy Commander, 403rd Operations Group, 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss.
12. June 2023 – March 2025, Commander, 403 Operations Group, 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss.
13. March 2025 – Present, Commander, 302d Airlift Wing, Peterson SFB, Colo.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: T-3, T-37, T-44, C-130E/H/J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one service star
Air and Space Overseas Service Ribbon Short
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
(Current as of March 2025)