Major Pope was commissioned in 2010 as a distinguished graduate of the ROTC program at the University of Washington. After completing Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, he was assigned to the MC-12W Liberty with the 427th Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale Air Force Base, California. He deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan, and flew more than 200 combat missions with the 4th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Resolute Support and Freedom’s Sentinel.
Major Pope remained at Beale Air Force Base for his next assignment in Remotely Piloted Aircraft operations flying the RQ-4 Global Hawk with the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron. As an instructor and evaluator pilot, he flew missions in multiple theaters across the globe, including a deployment to southwest Asia for Launch and Recovery operations.
Next, Major Pope was assigned to the 558th Flying Training Squadron at Joint Base San Antonio Randolph, Texas, as an instructor for Undergraduate Remotely Piloted Aircraft Training. He was Chief of Standards and Evaluation, course director for the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Instrument Qualification Course, and a T-6A simulator instructor and evaluator.
Major Pope is a senior pilot with 1,300 hours, including 1,000 combat hours, in the MC-12W Liberty. He has 600 hours in the RQ-4 Global Hawk, including 200 combat hours.
- 2006 - Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Gonzaga University, Spokane, Wash.
- 2009 - Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
- 2011 - Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
- 2016 - Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
- May 2011-December 2012, Student Pilot, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
- December 2012-December 2013, MC-12W Pilot, 427th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
- December 2013-October 2014, MC-12W Pilot, 489th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
- October 2014-July 2015, MC-12W Aircraft Commander, 427th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
- July 2015-October 2015, Student, RQ-4 Training, 12th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
- October 2015-November 2016, RQ-4 Pilot, Chief of Scheduling, 12th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
- November 2016-November 2017, Assistant Flight Commander, 12th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
- November 2017-March 2018, Flight Commander, 12th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
- March 2018-September 2019, RQ-4 Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, Commander’s Action Group, 12th Reconnaissance Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, Calif.
- September 2019-March 2021, Undergraduate RPA Training Instructor, Chief of Standards and Evaluation, 558th Flying Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio Randolph, Texas
- March 2021-May 2022, Undergraduate RPA Training Instructor and Evaluator, RPA Instrument Qualification Course Director, 558th Flying Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio Randolph, Texas
- May 2022-Present, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Air Force ROTC Detachment 028, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Ariz.
- Rating: Senior Pilot
- Flight Hours: More than 2,100 hours, including 1,300 combat hours
- Aircraft Flown: MC-12W, BE350, RQ-4B
- Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
- Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
- Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
- Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
- National Defense Service Medal
- Afghanistan Campaign Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Humanitarian Service Medal
- Nuclear Deterrence Operation Service Medal
- NATO Medal
- Second Lieutenant - Sept. 9, 2010
- First Lieutenant - Sept. 9, 2012
- Captain - Sept. 9, 2014
- Major - July 1, 2020
(Current as of June 2022)
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