COLONEL DANIEL E. MENDOZA
Col. Daniel E. Mendoza is the Commander, 374th Airlift Wing and the Installation Commander, Yokota Air Base, Japan. As the installation host, the 374th Airlift Wing supports the headquarters for U.S. Forces Japan, Fifth Air Force, the Japan Air Self Defense Force Air Defense Command, HQ, United Nations Command-Rear, 58 tenant organizations and over 11,000 U.S. and Japanese base personnel. He is responsible for 18 squadrons in the Department of Defense’s only tactical airlift wing in the Pacific theater with Airmen stationed in Japan, Singapore, and Australia. He is the Senior Airfield Authority for Yokota’s runway and the largest U.S. controlled airspace outside of the U.S. with 75,000 operations per year. As the Western Pacific airlift hub, Yokota AB provides mission-ready forces and base operating support to guarantee U.S. forward presence and crisis response with a $224 million operating budget supporting $12 billion of infrastructure.
Colonel Mendoza earned his commission in 2002 through the ROTC program at Florida International University. He has served in numerous operational and staff capacities at the squadron, group, wing, Numbered Air Force, and Combatant Command levels and commanded the 42d Operations Support Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. He was previously stationed at Yokota AB as the 36th Airlift Squadron and 374th Operations Support Squadron Flight Commander. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Deputy Commander, 36th Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam. While there, he was tasked to ensure the successful employment, deployment, integration, and enabling of air and space forces from the most forward sovereign U.S. Air Force base in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Colonel Mendoza is a senior pilot with over 2,100 flying hours in the T-6, TC-12, and C-130E/H aircraft, including more than 390 combat hours in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and NEW DAWN.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies, Florida International University, Fla.
2004 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Master of Arts, Political Science, American Military University, Va.
2016 Master of Science, Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Master of Strategic Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2002–November 2002, Student, Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2. December 2002–December 2003, OIC, 607th Air Communications Operations Maintenance Squadron, Osan Air Base, Korea
3. January 2004–February 2006, OIC, 851st Communication Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
4. March 2006–August 2006, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
5. September 2006–May 2007, Student, Multi-Engine Pilot Training, Corpus Christi NAS, Texas
6. June 2007–March 2008, Student, C-130 Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
7. April 2008–July 2012, C-130E/H Instructor Pilot, Training and Aircrew Flight Equipment Flight Commander, 36th Airlift Squadron and 374th Operations Support Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan
8. August 2012–June 2015, C-130H Formal Training Unit Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Formal Training Unit Operations, and Wing Director of Staff, 62d Airlift Squadron, 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
9. July 2015–June 2016, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 2016–January 2017, Director of Operations, 21st Student Squadron, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. February 2017–June 2018, Chief of Safety, 42d Air Base Wing, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. July 2018–July 2020, Commander, 42d Operations Support Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. August 2020–May 2021, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. June 2021–June 2022, Executive Officer to the Eighteenth Air Force Commander, Scott AFB, Ill.
15. July 2022–February 2023, Deputy Chief, Global Operations Division, J3, Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
16. March 2023–June 2024, Chief, Global Bulk Fuel Division, J5/4, Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
17. June 2024–August 2025, Commander, 36th Contingency Response Group, Andersen AFB, Guam
18. August 2025–June 2026, Deputy Commander, 36th Wing, Andersen AFB, Guam
19. July 2026–Present, Commander, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1.July 2022–February 2023, Deputy Chief, Global Operations Division, J3, Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a lieutenant colonel
2.March 2023–June 2024, Chief, Global Bulk Fuel Division, J5/4, Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight hours: 2,115
Aircraft flown: T-6, TC-12 and C-130E/H
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2016 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award
2016 Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College
2021 Academic Distinction, Air War College
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 16, 2002
First Lieutenant August 20, 2004
Captain August 20, 2006
Major October 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2017
Colonel May 1, 2023
(Current as of July 2026)