Colonel Ben “VOID” Craycraft is the Deputy Commander of the 319th Reconnaissance Wing and Director of the Point Defense Battle Lab, Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. He assists the Commander with leading the premier reconnaissance wing comprised of three groups, 14 squadrons, and three detachments, executing a budget of $70 million and employing aircraft, equipment, and facilities valued at $3.8 billion. The wing trains, deploys, and redeploys over 2,200 Airmen in support of Air Expeditionary Force and combatant command requirements. It also provides facilities and equipment support for the United States Space Force and the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protections. Additionally, the wing is one of two locations worldwide operating the High-Frequency Global Communication System, providing operational support of senior leader communications for all Department of Defense agencies. Finally, Col. Craycraft directs the Point Defense Battle Lab which is the Air Force’s primary Counter Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems tactics, techniques, and procedure test and development cell tasked to enable security for all US Air Force bases.
Col. Craycraft earned his commission while attending the United States Air Force Academy as a member of the Class of 2003. He then completed multiple flying assignments and operational combat deployments piloting the mighty C-130 Hercules and the RQ-4 Global Hawk, culminating with tours as Operations Officer and Commander of the two RQ-4 forward operating squadrons. Prior to his current position, Col Craycraft served as the Division Chief for ISR supporting the Air Force’s Senior Acquisition Executive at the Pentagon where his division won the Department of the Air Force’s 2025 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award and 2025 Staff Team of the Year.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Master of Arts, Organizational Leadership, Gonzaga University, Wash.
2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2021 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2024 Master of Arts, Military Strategic Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 2003 – April 2004, Student Pilot, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. April 2004 – November 2004, Student Pilot, Advanced Multi-Engine Flight Training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christie, Texas
3. August 2005 – October 2009, C-130E/H Aircraft Commander, Executive Officer, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
4. October 2009 – December 2012, C-130E/H Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
5. December 2012 – June 2015, RQ-4B Evaluator Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
6. June 2015 – August 2017, Director of Operations, 7th Reconnaissance Squadron, NAS Sigonella, Italy.
7. August 2017 – July 2019, Inspector General, Seventh Air Force, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
8. July 2019 – July 2021, Commander, 4th Reconnaissance Squadron, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam
9. July 2021 – July 2023, Section Head, Allied Ground Surveillance Operational Control, Headquarters Allied Air Command,
Ramstein Air Base, Germany
10. July 2023 – June 2024, Student, Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
11. June 2024 – June 2026, Division Chief, Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, Assistant Secretary of the Air
Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
12. June 2026 – Present, Deputy Commander, 319th Reconnaissance Wing, Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2021 – July 2023, Section Head, Allied Ground Surveillance Operational Control, Headquarters Allied Air Command,
Ramstein AB, Germany
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,500 (including 649 combat hours)
Aircraft flown: E/RQ-4B, C-130E/H, T-44, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 2003
First Lieutenant May 28, 2005
Captain May 28, 2007
Major August 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2018
Colonel September 1, 2024
(Current as of July 2026)