Joshua Rah

Lt Col Joshua H. Rah

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Commander, Detachment 895

BIOGRAPHY

 

Lt Col Joshua H. Rah is the Commander and Department Chair of Aerospace Studies, Air Force ROTC Detachment 895, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA.  As Commander, he provides leadership and oversight of all unit operations and is responsible for recruiting, educating, training, mentoring, and inspiring men and women to become the highest quality leaders in the United States Air Force and United States Space Force.

Lt Col Rah graduated from The University of Missouri in 2005 and received his commission through Officer Training School in June 2007. He has spent his career supporting the nuclear deterrence mission with extensive experience in Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) operations. He has served as a Minuteman III Missile Combat Crew Commander, Instructor, Flight Commander, and Assistant Director of Operations. He has completed multiple joint staff assignments as a Nuclear Strike Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon and Non-Strategic Nuclear Force Advisor to the Commander of United States European Command in Germany. Prior to assuming his current position, he served as the Director of Operations, 12th Missile Squadron, 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB), Montana where he led 90 Airmen responsible for strategic nuclear operations.

EDUCATION
2005   Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.
2007   Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010   Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013   Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016   Master of Arts, Management and Leadership, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.
2020   Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS
1.  June 2007-June 2009, Student, Undergraduate Navigator Training, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
2.  June 2009-April 2010, Student, Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Initial Qualification Training, 392nd Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
3.  April 2010-May 2014, Missile Combat Crew Member, Flight Commander, Assistant Director of Operations, 319th Missile Squadron, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
4.  May 2014-April 2018, Instructor, Flight Commander, 532nd Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
5.  May 2018-May 2019, Operations Officer, Presidential Strike Advisor, Joint Staff, Barksdale AFB, La.
6.  May 2019-March 2021, Assistant Deputy Director for Operations, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
7.  March 2021-April 2022, Nuclear Operations Planner, US European Command Headquarters, Stuttgart, Germany
8.  April 2022-June 2023, Chief, Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications Branch, US European Command HQ, Stuttgart, Germany
9.  July 2023-June 2025, Director of Operations, 12th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
10.  July 2025-Present, Commander, AFROTC Detachment 895, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Wash.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1.  May 2018-May 2019, Operations Officer, Operations Directorate (J36), the Joint Staff, Washington D.C., as a major
2.  May 2019-March 2021, Assistant Deputy Director for Operations (J36), the Joint Staff, Washington D.C., as a major
3.  March 2021-April 2022, Nuclear Operations Planner (J310), US European Command HQ, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant colonel
4.  April 2022-June 2023, Chief, NC3 Branch (J310), US European Command HQ, Stuttgart, Germany, as a lieutenant colonel

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with ‘N’ Device with two oak leaf clusters

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 15, 2007
First Lieutenant June 15, 2009
Captain June 15, 2011
Major June 1, 2017
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2021

(Current as of July 2025)