Colonel Michael G. Rider

Col. Michael G. Rider is the 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 Virtual Test and 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 instrumented live and virtual battlespaces for testing and training for 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. Rider received his commission on 1 June 1994 from the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. He graduated Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training as Distinguished Graduate, and subsequently was the Air-toGround Top Gun, and Academic Ace for his F-16 initial qualifications class. While at Nellis AFB, Nev., he commanded the 57th Operations Support Squadron, and was the Director of Operations for the 414th Combat Training Squadron (RED FLAG). Col. Rider then led strategic-to-tactical level USAF, joint and coalition live, synthetic, and blended training across the European and African theaters as the Commander of the Warrior Preparation Center.

Prior to assuming his current position, Col. Rider was the Chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation for Singapore where he led a team of 10 DoD and civilian personnel. He executed 12 bilateral Defense Cooperation in Armaments programs and 250 U.S. Foreign Military Sales weapons, training, logistics, and exercise cases for the Republic of Singapore Armed Forces totaling over $8 billion. Additionally, Col. Rider directed the largest FMS training program in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, administering three Republic of Singapore Air Force Detachments in the United States operating F-15SG, F-16C/D, and AH-64D aircraft