Col. Dane Gehrmann is Commander, Nevada Test and Training Range, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. He oversees a 2.9 million acre range and 12,000 square miles of airspace that make up the NTTR complex as well as the Joint Integrated Test, Training Center that comprises the U.S. Air Force’s most advanced synthetic battleground. He is responsible for the planning and oversight of the United States’ largest and most sophisticated instrumental live and virtual battlespaces for testing and training U.S. military and coalition air forces. The NTTR supports advanced composite force training, tactics development, and electronic combat testing for the Department of Defense.
Col. Gehrmann is originally from Merrill, Wisconsin. He received his commission through Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps in 2003 as a graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has served as an F-16 fighter pilot, instructor pilot, and evaluator pilot in Pacific Air Forces and Air Combat Command. His previous duties include Squadron Commander, Director of Operations, Director of Staff, Chief of Wing Safety, Executive Officer, Flight Commander, and Chief of Wing Scheduling. Prior to his current position, the colonel was the Director, Advanced Programs, Nevada Test and Training Range, Nellis AFB, Nevada.
Col. Gehrmann is a command pilot with more than 3,900 hours in the F-16, MQ-9, MQ-1B, T-38, and T-37 including 510 combat hours and 1,660 combat support hours in Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and FREEDOM’S SENTINAL.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.
2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2012 Master of Business Administration, Trident University International, Cypress, Calif.
2013 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2022 Air War College, correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2003 – February 2004, Commander’s Support Staff Officer, 330th Combat Training Squadron, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
2. February 2004 – October 2005, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training and Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. October 2005 – August 2006, Student, F-16 Basic Course and Night Systems Course, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. August 2006 – June 2008, Standardization and Evaluation Liaison Officer, Scheduler, 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
5. June 2008 – August 2011, Chief of Evaluations Section, Chief of Mobility, Chief of Awards and Decorations, 17th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech AFB, Nev.
6. August 2011 – April 2013, Chief of Student Training, Chief of Wing Scheduling, 29th Attack Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
7. April 2013 – October 2015, Chief of Safety, Assistant Director of Operations, 4th Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
8. October 2015 – June 2016, Flight Commander, 64th Aggressor Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
9. June 2016 – March 2018, Wing Executive Officer, Wing Chief of Safety, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
10. March 2018 – May 2019, Wing Director of Staff, Director of Operations, 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan Air Base, Korea
11. June 2019 – June 2021, Commander, 57th Operations Support Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
12. June 2021 – June 2024, Director, Advanced Programs, Nevada Test and Training Range, Nellis AFB, Nev.
13. June 2024 – Present, Commander, Nevada Test and Training Range, Nellis AFB, Nev.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: 3,900
Combat hours: 510
Combat support hours: 1660
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38B, MQ-1B, MQ-9, F-16
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf cluster
(Current as of June 2024)