Col. William “Bill” Ackman is the Commander, 737th Training Group, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, the largest training group in the Air Force, encompassing more than 5,000 trainee and permanent party Airmen. As the Department of the Air Force's only Basic Military Training organization, the group is comprised of ten squadrons that conduct all aspects of Air Force and Space Force enlisted recruit training for approximately 49,000 Active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve accessions annually.
Colonel Ackman enlisted in the Air Force in 1996 as an Intelligence Analyst. In 2003, he earned his commission as a Navigator from the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. He has served in a variety of positions as an AC-130H Electronic Warfare Officer, U-28A Combat Systems Officer, Group Standards and Evaluation Evaluator, Squadron Officer School Instructor, Squadron Operations Officer, and Squadron Commander.
Prior to this assignment, Col Ackman was a Campaign Management Division Chief at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency in Fort Belvoir, Va. focused on countering the weapons of mass destruction programs of the People’s Republic of China.
EDUCATION
2000 Airman Leadership School, Sembach AB, Germany
2003 Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences, Texas State University, San Marcos
2005 Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph (JBSA-R), Texas
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB), Ala.
2010 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Arts in International Studies, University of Oklahoma.
2017 Master of Military Operational Arts and Sciences, Air University, Ala.
2017 Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2022 Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport R.I.
2022 Distinguished Graduate, Naval War College, Newport R.I.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2003 - August 2004, Special Assistant to the Flight Commander, 9th ASOS, Fort Cavazos, Texas
2. August 2004 - July 2005, Navigator Student, 563rd Flying Training Squadron, JBSA-R, Texas
3. July 2005 - March 2006, AC-130H Electronic Warfare Officer Student, 19th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla
4. March 2006 - July 2008, AC-130H Electronic Warfare Officer, 16th SOS, Hurlburt Field, Fla
5. July 2008 - October 2008, Combat Systems Officer / U-28A Navigator, 319th SOS, Hurlburt Field, Fla
6. October 2008 - November 2009, U-28A Evaluator CSO, 319th SOS, Hurlburt Field, Fla
7. November 2009 - September 2010, Group Stan/Eval, U-28A Evaluator CSO, 1st SOG, Hurlburt Field, Fla
8. September 2010 - August 2012, Flight Commander/U-28A Evaluator CSO, 319th SOS, Hurlburt Field, Fla
9. August 2012 - June 2013, JAOC Operations, 1st Joint Special Operations Air Component, Fort Liberty, N.C.
10. June 2013 - Dec 2013, Executive Officer, 1st Joint Special Operations Air Component, Fort Liberty, N.C.
11. December 2013 - October 2014, SOS Instructor/Flight Commander, 31st Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. October 2014 - May 2016, Director of Operations, 31st Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. May 2016 - June 2017, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. June 2017 - July 2019, Operations Officer, 319th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla
15. July 2019 - May 2021, Commander, 319th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla
16. May 2021 - June 2022, Student, College of Naval Warfare, Newport Naval Base, R.I.
17. June 2022 - May 2024, Phalanx Branch Chief, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
18. June 2024 – June 2025, People’s Republic of China Campaign Management Division Chief, Fort Belvoir, Va
19. July 2025 – present, Commander, 737th Training Group, Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2022 - May 2024, Phalanx Branch Chief, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Ft Belvoir, VA
2. June 2024 – June 2025, People’s Republic of China Campaign Management Division Chief, Ft Belvoir, VA.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: 3,500+ (1,850 combat hours)
Aircraft flown: AC-130H and U-28A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Medal with Fourteen Oak Leaf Clusters and Combat Device
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 3, 2003
First Lieutenant July 3, 2005
Captain July 3, 2007
Major November 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2018
Colonel June 1, 2024
(Current as of August 2025)