COL William P.
Robertson - Thursday, September 2
Colonel William P. Robertson is the 182d Airlift Wing Commander.
He is responsible for over 1200 Traditional and Full-Time Illinois Air
National Guardsmen. He is responsible for maintaining the combat
readiness of the 182d Airlift Wing. Col Robertson also ensures that all
units are able to fulfill State and Federal missions as directed by the
appropriate authorities.
Colonel Robertson attended Peoria High School, Illinois Central
College and Bradley University in Peoria, IL. Col Robertson began his
military career in 1980 by enlisting in the Illinois Air National Guard
as a Security Policeman while attending Illinois Central College. He
graduated from Bradley University in 1983. He was selected for pilot
training by the 182d Tactical Air Support Group and attended the Academy
of Military Science in Knoxville, TN and commissioned as a Second
Lieutenant. He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) in 1983
at Williams AFB, AZ. Upon graduation he was assigned to the 182d
Tactical Air Support Group, 169th Tactical Air Support Squadron as a
Forward Air Controller flying the A-37B Dragonfly. He has served in
several capacities throughout the 182d TASG. He was mobilized during
Desert Storm and served with the 155th Armor Brigade Mississippi Army
National Guard as an Air Liaison Officer (ALO). Upon demobilization
following Desert Storm he was sent to Tucson, AZ to begin the unit
conversion to the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The unit was later again
selected for conversion in 1994 for conversion to the C-130 Hercules and
was re-designated the 182d Airlift Wing. He was involved in setting up
the infrastructure in the operations section for the C-130. He also
served as the Commander, 486th Expeditionary Operations Group during
Operation Iraqi Freedom. He oversaw the employment of 20 C-130 aircraft
in operations to support US Forces engaged during the conflict. Col
Robertson is a Command Pilot with over 4200 hours of flying several
different aircraft. He has flown the T-41, T-37B, T-38, A-37B, C-26,
AT-38B, F-16 and C-130.
He has been a Flight lead, Standardization/Evaluation Flight
Examiner, Instructor Pilot and Functional Test Flight Pilot. Colonel
Robertson has served as the Weapons and Tactics Officer, Chief of
Standardization and Evaluation, Training Officer, Scheduling Officer and
Current Operations Officer.
He is married to the former Sally Grimm of Peoria, IL and has three
children James, David and Elizabeth.
