Lt Col John Duray is an MQ-9 Evaluator Pilot and Assistant Director of Operations, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. He commands an MQ-9 Reaper crew in direct combat support of our nation’s elite Special Operations Forces. Additionally, he is entrusted to evaluate aircrew members’ ability to execute Joint Force Air Component Commander priority missions requiring persistent armed reconnaissance. As an Assistant Director of Operations, Major Duray is directly responsible for the successful execution of combat operations for AFSOC’s largest MQ-9 squadron, overseeing seven combat lines conducting 24/7/365 operations in four separate geographic regions.

Background: Major Duray graduated from Duke University in 2006 where he commissioned as a Distinguished Graduate through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. He went on to serve as a U–28 Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander for the 319th Special Operations Squadron. He has led an expeditionary special operations flying squadron as director of operations and served as an executive officer at both the squadron and group levels. Prior to his current position, the major was the Chief of Standards and Evaluations, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM.