Wendell L. Collins

HICKORY - Lt. Col. Wendell Lee Collins, 42, of Hickory, died Sunday, Aug. 23, 2009, in St. Charles Parish, La. Lt. Col. Collins was born January 1967 in Rome, Ga. He graduated from Marshall High School in Marshall, Texas, in 1985, then attended East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas. He graduated in 1989 with a bachelor of science degree in history while completing an AFROTC four-year program. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force the same day. Afterward, Lt. Col. Collins attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas, where he completed training in T-37 and T-38 aircraft. Lt. Col. Collins' first duty assignment was as a First Assignment Instructor Pilot (FAIP) with the 87th FTS flying the T-38A Talon. While there, Lt. Col. Collins held various flight and squadron duty positions while accumulating over 900 hours instructing in the T-38. In 1994, Lt. Col. Collins was selected to attend MH-53J Pave Low III training at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. He first transitioned from fixed to rotary wing while attending the Rotary Wing Qualification Course at Fort Rucker, Ala., in the UH-1H, before starting training at Kirtland Air Force Base. In 1995, Lt. Col. Collins completed the longest RTU schoolhouse in the Air Force as Pave Low pilot number 249 and was assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. While assigned to the Green Hornets, Lt. Col. Collins progressed from co-pilot to aircraft commander and held several positions in the squadron as current operations and chief of training. Lt. Col. Collins deployed in support of Operations Deny Flight and Joint Endeavour, as well as other contingency and exercise operations. From 1997 to 1999, Lt. Col, Collins was assigned to the 31st SOS at Osan AB Republic of Korea. While assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command's most forward deployed helicopter squadron, Lt. Col. Collins served in a variety of squadron positions, including operations planner, flight commander and interim director of operations. He also qualified as an instructor and evaluator pilot in the MH-53J. He deployed to multiple locations inside Korea and throughout the eastern Pacific, and was recognized for his work in classified and humanitarian missions. In 1999, Lt. Col. Collins was reassigned to 58th Training Support Squadron, Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, to assume duties as MH-53J/M program manager and continue instruction for the Pave Low schoolhouse. While at Kirtland, Lt. Col. Collins developed the first CV-22 syllabus of instruction and made multiple trips to the Bell-Boeing Osprey plant in Arlington, Texas, as a simulator and cockpit design representative. He continued to train students in the Pave Low and was next assigned to the 551st SOS as squadron chief of safety and evaluator pilot. Lt. Col. Collins was assigned to Special Operations Command Europe (SOCEUR) as a Special Operations Liaison Officer (SOLE), Ramstein AB, Germany, in 2001. Lt. Col. Collins was lead rotary wing plans officer and then deputy director SOLE. While there, he deployed on numerous short-notice and contingency operations, including embassy evacuations in Africa, 2004 Olympic Security Mission, as well as Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. From 2004 to 2007, Lt. Col. Collins served as assistant director of operations, 23rd FTS, Ft. Rucker, Ala. As the Air Force's only undergraduate helicopter program, the 23rd FTS is responsible for initial training of all USAF helicopter pilots. In 2007, Lt. Col. Collins was selected as commander, AFROTC DET 320, Tulane University, New Orleans, La. Lt. Col. Collins was a combat pilot and had more than 3,200 hours of flight time in T-38, UH-1H, MH-53J/M, CV-22 and TH-53A, as well as multiple civilian aircraft. He had received the joint Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal and the AF Commendation Medal (1OLC). His bases of assignment have been 1990 to 1994, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas; 1994 to 1995, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; 1995 to 1997, Hurlburt Field, Fla.; 1997 to 1999, Osan AB Republic of Korea; 1999 to 2001, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; 2001 to 2004, Ramstein AB, Germany; 2004 to 2007, Fort Rucker, Alabama; and 2007 to present, New Orleans, La. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Clyde C. and Evelyn Fisher Collins, and his maternal grandparents, Col. Bertil V. Jones and Amelia Schmidt Jones. Survivors include his wife, Jacqueline Cooke Collins of the home; a son, Samuel Lee Collins of the home; a daughter, Marguerite Rebecca "Maggie" Collins of the home; his parents, Ralph Lee and Janice Lee Jones Collins of Brevard; a sister, Linda Collins Carlton of Conover; nephews, Collin Wayne and Michael "Trey" Carlton of Conover; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Jack and Ellen Cooke of Hickory; and a sister-in-law, Becky Cooke of Hickory. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, 2009, at Zion Lutheran Church. The Rev. John Woodard will officiate. Burial will follow at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. Monday at Zion Lutheran Church. Memorials may be made to the Salt Block Foundation Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 1994, Hickory, N.C. 28603 or Zion Lutheran Church, 1911 Zion Church Road, Hickory, N.C. 28602. Condolences may be sent to the Collins family at www.drumfuneralhome.com. The Collins family has entrusted the funeral arrangements to Drum Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Hickory.