COL Richard Melnyk

Colonel Rich Melnyk was commissioned as an Aviation Officer from the U.S. Military Academy in 1995. He has served in a variety of Aviation and Military Intelligence units with leadership responsibilities up to the Battalion Command level. Colonel Melnyk has served in the department from 2004-2007 and again from 2015 to the present and has taught and directed courses in the Aeronautics, Design, Thermal-Fluids, and Materials and Manufacturing threads. He currently leads the Aeronautical Thread. Colonel Melnyk is the senior Aviator in the department and leads the Academy’s Academic Flight program responsible for the safe and effective use of all manned and unmanned aircraft at the Academy for academic and research purposes. 

He is a Master Army Aviator with over 3,300 flight hours in ten different Army aircraft. Battalion Commander, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia (2013-2015) Battalion Operations Officer, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia (2008-2010) Air Cavalry Troop Commander, Camp Humphreys, Korea (2001-2002) Battalion Logistics and Budget Officer, Fort Bragg (Known as Fort Liberty since 2023), NC (1999-2000) Battalion Personnel and Human Resources Officer, Fort Bragg, North Carolina (1998-1999) Attack Helicopter Platoon Leader, Camp Page, Korea (1997)