Lt. Col. Eric Dittman is the Commander of the 337th Recruiting Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. As commander, he plans, organizes, leads and controls the recruiting activities of seven enlisted accessions flights with approximately 86 active-duty and nine civilian personnel. The 337th RCS's area of responsibility covers a 64,000-square-mile region in North Carolina and South Carolina. Its mission is to inspire, engage and recruit the next generation of Airmen for service in America’s Air Force as well as Guardians for the U.S. Space Force.
Lt. Col. Dittman commissioned into the Air Force after graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado in June 2004. After graduation, he worked as a developmental engineer and earned a Level III certification in engineering and a Level II certificate in program management. His engineering work has led him to find root cause failures on multiple Class A mishaps, research novel ways to identify damage in composite materials, teach students at multiple universities and lead developmental acquisition teams. Prior to his current position, he was the Deputy Head for Curriculum in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor's of Science, Engineering Mechanics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2006 Master's of Science, Aeronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2006 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Squadron Officers School (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
2015 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Air War College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Aug 2004 – March 2006, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2. March 2006 – July 2008, Structural Materials Integrity Engineer, Air Force Research Lab, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
3. July 2008 – August 2011, Assistant Professor of Portuguese and Engineering Mechanics, Dean of the Faculty, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
4. August 2011 – December 2013, Student, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
5. January 2014 – December 2016, AWACS E-3 Block 40/45 Production Lead Engineer, Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts (October 2014 – April 2015, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander, Office of Security Cooperation – Iraq, Baghdad)
6. December 2016 – December 2018, Academic Instructor, Brazilian Air Force Academy, Pirassununga, Brazil
7. December 2018 – May 2022, Deputy Head for Curriculum, Dean of the Faculty, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
8. June 2022 – Current, Commander, 337th Recruiting Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal with one device
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2, 2004
First Lieutenant June 2, 2006
Captain June 2, 2008
Major June 1, 2014
Lieutenant Colonel February 1, 2019
(Current as of APRIL 2022)