Col. William B. Poulson is the 185th Operations Group Commander at the 185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa Air National Guard, Sioux City, Iowa. In this role, he is responsible for the operation of KC-135R Stratotankers and their aircrew members, as well as Airfield Management, Aircrew Flight Equipment, Contingency Response, Military Intelligence, and Administrative Support areas of the Operations Group.
Col. Poulson graduated from Iowa State University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He received his commission through the Air National Guard Academy of Military Science in 2003 and graduated from Undergraduate Pilot Training in 2005 at Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio, Texas. Prior to his current position, Col. Poulson was the Deputy Operations Group Commander at the 185th Air Refueling Wing, Sioux City, Iowa.
Col. Poulson has accumulated more than 4,100 military flying hours. He has participated in many exercises and deployments in and outside the United States including Counter-Drug Operations, Humanitarian relief for Hurricane Katrina, Operation NOBLE EAGLE, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, Operation ENDRUING FREEDOM, Operation INHERENT RESOLVE, and Operation FREEDOM SENTINEL.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Arts Degree, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
2009 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Master of Business Management, Briar Cliff University, Sioux City, Iowa
2015 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2021 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. July 2003 – September 2003, Student, Academy of Military Science, McGhee-Tyson, Tenn.
2. September 2003 – January 2005, Pilot Trainee, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
3. January 2005 – June 2005, Pilot Trainee, KC-135 Primary Training, Altus AFB, Okla.
4. June 2005 – December 2011, Nuclear Plans Officer, 185th Air Refueling Wing, Iowa
5. December 2011 – June 2013, Aircrew Training Officer & Instructor Pilot, 185th ARW, Iowa
6. June 2013 – March 2017, Chief of Aircrew Training & Instructor Pilot, 185th ARW, Iowa
7. March 2017 – January 2019, Chief of Stan/Eval & Evaluator Pilot, 185th ARW, Iowa
8. January 2019 – April 2023, Maintenance Squadron Commander, 185th ARW, Iowa
9. April 2023 – July 2024, 174th Air Refueling Squadron Commander, 185th ARW, Iowa
10. July 2024 – March 2025, 185th Deputy Operations Group Commander, 185th ARW, Iowa
11. April 2025 – Present, 185th Operations Group Commander, 185th ARW, Iowa