Col Burt N. Okamoto is the commander of the 374th Mission Support Group, Yokota Air Base, Japan. He is responsible for over 2,800 personnel across six squadrons and one geographically separated flight and manages over $7 billion assets to provide combat support, agile expeditionary capabilities and mission-ready forces for the 374th Airlift Wing and over 50 mission partners including Headquarters U.S. Forces, Japan and 5th Air Force. The group provides installation force protection, communications, contracting, logistics, civil engineering, and personnel, services and quality of life programs for over 11,500 military and civilian personnel and families.
Colonel Okamoto enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard in June 1994 as an Infantryman. He entered the Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program as a graduate of the University of Hawaii. He is also a graduate of the Joint and Combined Warfighting School.
Colonel Okamoto has served in several operational deployments as a mission planning cell targeteer for the 379th Expeditionary Operation Support Squadron; Senior Intelligence Officer for the 380th Expeditionary Wing in support of Operations ENDURING/IRAQI FREEDOM and Operations NEW DAWN and UNIFIED PROTECTOR; and the J2 for the Theater Intelligence Group-CJIATF-435 at the premier national detention facility in Afghanistan. He has served in key intelligence leadership positions as a Wing Intelligence Officer, Squadron Director of Operations, J2, Squadron Commander, Deputy Group Commander, and Numbered Air Force Director of Cyberspace Operations.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education, University of Hawaii, HI
2001 Officer Intelligence School, Goodfellow AFB, TX
2002 Combat Targeting School, Goodfellow AFB, TX
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2007 Masters in Business Administration, Webster University, MO
2011 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence
2012 Joint Analyst and Interrogator Collaboration Course, Ft Huachuca, AZ
2013 Joint Forces Staff College, Joint Professional Military Education II, Norfolk, VA
2013 Joint Targeting School, Norfolk, VA
2016 Air War College, Correspondence
2024 Indo-Pacific Orientation Course, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Tokyo, JPN
ASSIGNMENTS
1.August 2001 - August 2002, Executive Officer, PACAF Air Intelligence Squadron, Hickam AFB, HI
2.August 2002 - July 2004, Targeteer, 26th Air Intelligence Squadron, Hickam AFB, HI
3.July 2004 - July 2006, Chief, Target Intelligence, 509th Operation Support Squadron, Whiteman AFB, MO
4.July 2006 - April 2007, Chief, Operations Intelligence, 509th Operation Support Squadron, Whiteman AFB, MO (January 2007 -April 2007, Chief, Targeteer, 379th Expeditionary OSS, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
5.June 2007 - April 2010, SAF/IA Targeting Exchange Officer, Defence Intelligence Geospatial Organization, Canberra, Australia
6.April 2010 - April 2011, Assistant Director of Operations, 547th Intelligence Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV (March 2011 - July 2011,Senior Intelligence Officer, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dhafra AB, United Arab Emirates)
7.April 2011 - March 2012, Director of Operations, 547th Intelligence Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV
8.March 2012 - March 2013, J2, Theater Intelligence Group-CJIATF-435, Bagram AB, Afghanistan
9.June 2013 - August 2013, Student, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
10.August 2013 - December 2013, Joint Chairman Chief of Staff J2 Targeting Operations Officer, Pentagon, Washington DC
11.December 2013 - December 2014, JCS J2, International Engagements Officer, Pentagon, Washington DC
12.December 2014 - August 2016, JCS J2 Chief, Doctrine and Policy Branch, Pentagon, Washington DC
13.August 2016 - June 2018, Commander, Integrated C4ISR Analysis Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
14.July 2018 - June 2021, Deputy Commander, 365th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, Nellis AFB, NV
15.August 2021 - July 2024, A6 Director, CIO C4 and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters Fifth Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan
16.July 2024 - present, Commander, 374th Mission Support Group, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota AB, Japan
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1.June 2007 - April 2010, SAF/IA Targeting Exchange Officer, DIGO, Canberra, Australia, as a captain
2.March 2012 - March 2013, J2, Theater Intelligence Group-CJIATF-435, Bagram AB, Afghanistan, as a major
3.August 2013 - August 2016, JCS J2 Staff Officer, Pentagon, Washington DC, as a major and lieutenant colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
DIA, Lance P. Sijan Award – Field Grade Officer Level
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2014 Joint Staff/J-2 Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Field Grade Officer of the Year
OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
Air Force Intelligence Badge
Air Force Cyberspace Operations Badge
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Permanent member, Japanese American Veterans Association
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 2, 2000
First Lieutenant July 2, 2002
Captain July 2, 2004
Major June 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2015
Colonel August 1, 2021
(Current as of June 2024)