Colonel Steven B. Rice is the Director of Staff – Air, Joint Force Headquarters, Illinois Air National Guard, Springfield, Illinois. As the Director, he oversees the daily operations of the headquarters staff and directs activities of his staff members in the areas of strategic planning, policy implementation, personnel services, logistics, recruiting and retention, facilities, security and force protection, along with homeland security and homeland defense. He works daily with his Army National Guard counterparts within the state headquarters. He acts on behalf of the Assistant Adjutant General for Air in times of his absence. He works with Non-governmental agencies and Inter-agencies to coordinate and provide manpower and resources in times of need. He works closely with the Illinois WMD-CST and the Illinois CERF-P organizations.
Col. Rice enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1986. Upon completing his initial active duty basic and technical training, he was assigned as a munitions systems specialist at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. He was selected for a federal air technician position at the 182nd Fighter Group in 1992 and was assigned as the NCO in charge of missile maintenance. In 1994, he was selected as a flight engineer with the newly assigned C-130E aircraft, where he obtained his instructor and evaluator flight engineer ratings. Col. Rice obtained a commission in the Air National Guard in 2001, serving as commander of the 182nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the 182nd Communications Flight before becoming the 182nd Maintenance Group commander in 2018.
Col. Rice deployed to Camp Dublin, Iraq, in 2008 in support of the NATO Training Mission – Iraq, where he helped the Italian Carabinieri train more than 2,500 Iraqi National Police. He is a lifetime member of both the National Guard Association of Illinois and the National Guard Association of the United States and served as the 182nd Airlift Wing director on the NGAI board. Prior to his current position, the colonel served as the commander of the 182nd Mission Support Group, 182nd Airlift Wing, in Peoria, Illinois.
EDUCATION
1986 Munitions Systems Specialist Course, Lowery Air Force Base, Colo.
1987 AIM-9L/M, AIM-7F/M, AGM-65 A/B/D, AGM-45, FTD, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea 1987 HARM 88 Missile Course, Clark AB, Philippines
1989 NCO Preparatory Course, Luke AFB, Ariz.
1991 Associate in Applied Science, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1991 Bachelor of Science, Professional Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, by correspondence. 1994 Basic Flight Engineer Course, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
1995 Combat Survival Training, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
1996 Flight Engineer Instructor Course, Little Rock AFB, Ark. 1996 T56 Allison Engine School, Indianapolis, Ind.
2001 Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn. 2002 Aircraft Maintenance Officer Course, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2005 Expeditionary Communications Officer Training Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2008 Combat Skills Training, Fort McCoy, Wis.
2008 USAF Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
2012 Air Command & Staff College, by correspondence 2018 Air War College, by correspondence
2019 ANG Commander Development Course, ANG Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1986–October 1987, Missile Maintenance Technician, Osan AB, Republic of Korea
2. November 1987–February 1992, Missile Maintenance Technician and Munitions Inspector, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3. February 1992–August 1994, Missile Maintenance NCO in Charge, Peoria, Ill.
4. August 1994–January 2001, C-130E Flight Engineer Instructor/Evaluator, 182nd Operations Group, Peoria, Ill.
6. February 2001–March 2002, Commander, 182nd Logistics Support Flight, Peoria, Ill.
7. March 2002–February 2003, Commander, 182nd Aircraft Generation Squadron, Peoria, Ill.
8. February 2003–September 2003, Executive Officer, 182nd Airlift Wing, Peoria, Ill.
9. September 2003–October 2010, Commander, 182nd Communications Flight, Peoria, Ill. (May 2008–October 2008, J6, NTM – I, Camp Dublin, Iraq)
10. October 2010–August 2015, Deputy Commander, 182nd Mission Support Group, Peoria, Ill.
11. August 2015–September 2016, Commander, 182nd Maintenance Squadron, Peoria, Ill.
12. September 2016–August 2018, Deputy Group Commander, 182nd Maintenance Group, Peoria, Ill.
13. August 2018–February 2020, Commander, 182nd Maintenance Group, Peoria, Ill.
14. February 2020–June 2024, Commander, 182nd Mission Support Group, Peoria, Ill.
15. June 2024 – Present, Director of Staff-Air, Joint Forces Headquarters, ILANG, Camp Lincoln, Ill.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
STATE AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Illinois Military Long and Honorable Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Illinois Military Attendance Ribbon with “14” device
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Past wing board director, National Guard Association of Illinois
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
National Guard Association of the United States (lifetime member)
National Guard Association of Illinois (lifetime member)
Lewistown Lodge 104, AF&AM
American Legion. Lewistown Post 1
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Lewistown Post 5001
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Feb. 16, 2001
First Lieutenant Feb. 16, 2003
Captain Feb. 16, 2005
Major Feb. 18, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel July 10, 2013
Colonel Feb. 18, 2020
(Current as of August 2024)