Robert N. Schoeneberg is the Deputy Commander of the 39th Air Base Wing, Incirlik Air Base, Türkiye. He is responsible for approximately 3,500 U.S. military, civilian and contractor personnel and the combat readiness of U.S. Air Force units at Incirlik and five geographically-separated units in Türkiye. He is also responsible for Base Operations Support Integration (BOS-I) activities for Türkiye-based joint and combined combat forces conducting operations in the region.
Col Schoeneberg graduated from Texas Tech University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. Selected directly out of pilot training for the B-2, he first completed T-38 PIT (Pilot Instructor Training) at Randolph AFB, and subsequently instructed at the 394th CTS. After finishing B-2 Initial Qualification Training, Col Schoeneberg served in the 393 BS as the Chief of Long Range Scheduling, Chief of Safety, Chief of Nuclear Weapons and Tactics, and as a Flight Commander before serving as the Wing’s Nuclear Executive Manager and the Wing Executive Officer. Next, he was selected to be an Air Force Fellow at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, CA before serving on a Joint Staff operations team as the Assistant Deputy Director of Operations and certified Presidential Strike Advisor in the National Military Command Center. Subsequently, he served as the Director of Operations for the 509th OSS and the Commander of the 393BS at Whiteman AFB, MO. Afterwards he attended the NATO Defense College in Rome, completing the Senior Course and the NATO Regional Cooperation Course. Afterwards, he was selected to be the Air Branch Senior Staff Officer in NATO’s Standardization Organization and then selected as the Chief of Nuclear Operations at SHAPE. He is the first American to win the Guild of Air Pilot’s and Air Navigator’s Grand Master Medal in 2011 and was selected to be a member of the National Defense University’s Program for Emerging Leaders in 2012.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering), Texas Tech University, TX
2003 Distinguished Graduate, US Air Force ROTC
2005 Distinguished Graduate w/Academic & Leadership Distinction, Undergraduate Pilot Training
2005 Distinguished Graduate, Pilot Instructor Training
2007 Distinguished Graduate w/Academic Distinction, B-2 Initial Qualification Course
2009 Distinguished Graduate/Outstanding Contributor, Squadron Officer School
2013 Master of Art (History) w/honors, American Military University, VA
2015 Air Force Nuclear Weapons Effect, Policy, and Proliferation (NWEPP) Certificate
2021 Ancien at NATO Defense College, Rome
ASSIGNMENTS
1. 2003–2004, Student, Air Force Elements Joint Flying Training, Whiting Field, FL.
2. 2004–2005, Student, Flying Training, Vance AFB, OK.
3. 2005–2007, Scheduler/T-38 Instructor Pilot, Whiteman AFB, MO
4. 2007–2008, Student, B-2 Initial Qualification Training, Whiteman AFB, MO.
5. 2008–2009, Chief Scheduler, 393d Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, MO.
6. 2009–2010, Chief of Safety, 393d Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, MO.
7. 2010–2011, Chief of Nuclear Weapons, 393d Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, MO.
8. 2011–2011, A1 FLT/CC, 393d Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, MO.
9. 2011–2013, Wing Nuclear Executive Manager, 509th OSS, Whiteman AFB, MO.
10. 2013–2014, Wing Executive Officer, 509 BW, Whiteman AFB, MO.
11. 2014–2015, Air Force Fellow, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, CA.
12. 2015–2017, Assistant Deputy Director for Operations, Operations Team Two, National Joint Operations and Intelligence Center, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, DC.
13. 2017–2019, Director of Operations, 509th OSS, Whiteman AFB, MO.
14. 2019–2020, Commander, 393d Bomb Squadron, Whiteman AFB, MO.
15. 2020–2021, Air Force Fellow, NATO Defense College, Rome
16. 2021–2022, Senior Staff Officer, NSO Air Branch
17. 2022–2023, Chief, Nuclear Operations Branch
18. 2023–Present, Deputy Commander, 39th Air Base Wing, Incirlik AB, Türkiye
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Qualification: B-2 Evaluator Pilot, Combat Mission Ready/ T-38 Evaluator Pilot
Flight hours: More than 2000
Aircraft flown: B-2A, T-38A/C, T-34
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal (x2)
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators Grand Master’s Medal
(Current as of June 2023)