Col. Mark A. Cramer is the Deputy Commander, 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 four geographically separated units in Türkiye. He is also responsible for Base Operation Support Integration activities for Türkiye-based joint and combined combat forces conducting operations in the region.
Col. Cramer graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2002. He is both a Master Navigator, with over 3,000 flight hours and a European Foreign Area Officer. He has served as flight instructor and evaluator on multiple intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft and deployed on several global operations to include Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and TOMODACHI. After three flying assignments, he attended the German Armed Forces Staff College earning both a master’s degree and his Foreign Area Officer qualification. On staff, he led international affairs staffs at the Joint Staff and Major Command level and was the Chief of a Numbered Air Force’s Commander’s Action Group. Additionally, he was the Commander of Chabelley Airfield, Republic of Djibouti. Prior to his current position, the colonel was the Assistant Deputy Director, Counter Threats and International Cooperation, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelors of Science in Political Science, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2007 Masters of Business Administration, Oklahoma City University
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2015 Associates of Arts in the German Language, Defense Language Institute, California.
2016 Joint General and Admiral Staff Course, German Armed Forces Staff College, GE
2016 Masters of Military Leadership and International Studies, Helmut Schmidt University, GE
2022 Masters of Strategic Studies, Grand Strategy Concentration, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2024 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 2002 – September 2003, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Randolph Air Force Base, Texas
2. October 2003 – March 2004, Student, E-3 Initial Qualification Training, 552nd Training Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
3. March 2004 – April 2006, Navigator, and Instructor, 965th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
4. April 2006 – May 2007, Formal Training Unit Evaluator, and Instructor, 966th Airborne Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
5. May 2007 – November 2007, Student, RC-135 Initial Qualification Training, 338th Combat Training Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
6. November 2007 – April 2012, Assistant Director of Operations, Flight Commander, Flight Evaluator RC/OC/WC-135 and Executive Officer (Executive Officer 379th Expeditionary Operations Group), 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
7. April 2012 – September 2013, Director of Staff and Deputy Chief of Group Training, 55th Operations Group, Offutt AFB, Neb.
8. September 2013 – July 2014, Student, Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterey, Calif.
9. July 2014 – July 2016, Student, German Armed Forces Staff College, Hamburg, Germany
10. July 2016 – July 2018, Deputy Branch Chief, West European Affairs, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
11. July 2018 – June 2019, Chief, Commander’s Action Group, Third Air Force, Ramstein AB, Germany
12. June 2019 – June 2020, Commander, 776th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron, Chabelley Airfield, Republic of Djibouti
13. July 2020 – July 2021, Branch Chief, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2021 – June 2022, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. June 2022 – May 2024, Division Chief, Western Europe and the Balkans, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
16. May 2024 – June 2025, Assistant Deputy Director, Counter Threats and International Cooperation, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.
17. June 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander, 39th Air Base Wing, Incirlik AB, Türkiye
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2020 – July 2021, Branch Chief, Joint Staff, as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2022 – Present, Assistant Deputy Director, and Division Chief, Joint Staff, Washington D.C., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: More than 3,000
Aircraft flown: E-3B/C, RC-135S/U/V/W, TC-135, OC-135, WC-135
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
French National Defense Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 2002
First Lieutenant May 29, 2004
Captain May 29, 2006
Major April 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2017
Colonel July 1, 2023
(Current as of June 2025)