Colonel KARL W. SEEKAMP

Colonel Karl W. Seekamp is commander of the 704th Test Group, Holloman AFB, N.M.  He is responsible for flight and ground testing of advanced air capabilities for lethality, speed, survivability, and stealth. These include avionics and weapon systems flight tests, inertial navigation and Global Positioning System tests, highspeed test track operations, as well as landing gear, survivability, directed energy, and radar cross section tests for joint weapon systems. In addition, his group is the liaison for all Air Force test programs on the White Sands Missile Range. The group operates C-12 and T-38 aircraft and over $1.3B worth of sophisticated world-unique test assets.

Col Seekamp was commissioned as a distinguished graduate of the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Connecticut and is a graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School Class 131. Col Seekamp has commanded flight test units at the detachment, squadron and group level. He has led operational, developmental, and joint testing on a wide variety of platforms.  Additionally, he commanded an expeditionary advisor unit leading Mi-17 combat operations across western Afghanistan. Col Seekamp has staff experience in NAF level safety, MAJCOM stan/eval, and COCOM strategic plans. Prior to his current position, Col Seekamp was the Air Force Test Center (AFTC) Director of Safety where he oversaw mishap prevention within the $31 billion enterprise of more than 18,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel across the Edwards, Eglin, and Arnold AFB test wings.

Col Seekamp is an experimental test pilot with qualifications in eleven different Army, Navy, and Air Force aircraft. He holds rotary-wing, fixed-wing, and powered lift pilot ratings. He has been a flight evaluator at the squadron, group, and MAJCOM level and has flown more than 100 OEF combat missions.

EDUCATION

1998    Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, with honors, University of Connecticut, Storrs
2005    Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007    Experimental Test Pilot Course, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River NAS, MD.
2009    Masters of Business Administration, University of Maryland, University College
2010    Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2019    Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS

  1. Feb 99 – Jun 99, Special Assistant to the Commander, AFROTC, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT.
  2. Jul 99 – Apr 00, Joint Undergraduate Pilot Training, Pensacola Naval Air Station, FL.
  3. May 00 – Dec 00, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training – Helicopter, Fort Rucker, AL.
  4. Jan 01 – May 04, Instructor Pilot, Exec Ofcr, Chief of Sched, Life Supt Ofcr, 459th Airlift Sq, Yokota, Japan.
  5. Jun 04 – Jun 06, Chief of Helicopter Stan/Eval, 90th Operations Group, F.E. Warren AFB, WY.
  6. Jul 06 – Jun 07, Test Pilot Under Instruction, U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, Patuxent River NAS, MD.
  7. Jul 07 – Sep 09, CV-22 Test Pilot, Rotary-wing Flight Commander, 413th Flight Test Sq, Hurlburt Field, FL.
  8. Oct 09 – Apr 10, Missile Defense Strategic Planner, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, FL.
  9. May 10 – May 11, Deputy Chief of Flight Safety, Air Armament Center, Eglin AFB, FL.
  10. Jun 11 – Jun 12, Commander, Det 1, 838th Air Expeditionary Advisor Group, Herat AB, AFG.
  11. July 12 – Jun 14, Commander, Det 1, 413th Flight Test Squadron (CSAR CTF), Nellis AFB, NV.
  12. Jul 14 – Jun 16, Commander, Flight Test Squadron, Data Masked
  13. Jul 16 – Jul 18, Deputy Commander, 96th Operations Group, Eglin AFB, FL.
  14. Aug 18 – May 19, Chief of Helicopter Operations/Training, A3V, Air Force Materiel Command, Eglin AFB, FL.
  15. Jun 19 –Aug 21, Chief, Operating Location HF, Air Force Operational Test & Eval Center, Hurlburt Field, FL.
  16. Sep 21 – Aug 22, Director of Safety, Air Force Test Center, Edwards AFB, CA.
  17. Sep 22 – Present, Commander, 704th Test Group, Holloman, NM.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: Over 3,400 (245 Combat)
Aircraft flown: UH-1N, CV-22B, Mi-17, TH-6, C-12C/D, BE-1900, UH-60L/M, HH-60G/U/W and over 20 other types

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two bronze stars
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with “N” Device
Non-Article 5 NATO Medal (ISAF)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant                 Jan 27, 1999
First Lieutenant                       Jan 27, 2001
Captain                                     Jan 27, 2003
Major                                         Sep 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel                 Mar 1, 2014
Colonel                                     Oct 1, 2021

Current as of 22 Nov 2022