Col Andrew P. Sides is the Commander of the 166th Airlift Wing in New Castle, Delaware. As commander, he is responsible for leading more than 1,100 people, overseeing base property and capital assets and controlling an annual budget exceeding $55 million. Col Robinson directs the wing's overall missions, which include providing tactical airlift and air drop of troops, cargo and passengers using C-130H2.5 aircraft; providing aeromedical evacuation; supporting state, regional, and national civil engineering efforts; and conducting cyberspace operations.
Col Sides earned his commission in May of 1997 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Delaware in Newark, Del. He has accumulated over 6,000 flying hours, including 1,100 combat hours, during worldwide combat and humanitarian airlift operations, including ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREDOM, and FREEDOM SENTINEL. He has flown missions to support European Command and U.S. Southern Command for resupply, as well as relief and aid missions after Hurricane Katrina. While assigned to the Delaware Air National Guard he also served as Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Director of Operations for the 142d Airlift Squadron, Commander of Airlift Squadron and most recently Commander of the Operations Support Squadron. He has served abroad as the mission commander for the Polish Aviation Detachment supporting OPERATION ATLANTIC RESOLVE, and as the deployed commander for the 779th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron in Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management, Wilmington College, New Castle, Del.
2010 C-130 Pilot Instructor School, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2015 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2022 Air War College, by correspondence
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf clusterAir Medal with six oak leaf clustersAerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf clusterAir and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clustersAir and Space Achievement MedalHumanitarian Service Medal with service starAir and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and seven oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 30, 1997
First Lieutenant, May 30, 1999
Captain, Nov. 29, 2001
Major, Nov. 29, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel, Nov. 29, 2015
Colonel, Sep. 24, 2024
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management, Wilmington College, New Castle Del.
2010 C-130 Pilot Instructor School, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2015 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2022 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
- May 1997 – April 1999, Pilot Trainee, 142d Airlift Squadron, New Castle, Del.
- April 1999 – April 2000, SUPT Student, Colombus AFB, Ms.
- April 2000 – November 2000, C-130 Pilot Training, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
- November 2000 – September 2004, Copilot C-130H, New Castle, Del.
- September 2004 – December 2007, OIC Command Post, New Castle, Del.
- December 2007 – June 2017, Chief of Current Operations, New Castle, Del.
- June 2017 – May 2018, Chief of Standardization and Evaluations, New Castle, Del.
- May 2018 – July 2019, Director of Operations, 142d Airlift Squadron, New Castle, Del. (Commander, 779th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait)
- July 2019 – July 2020, Commander, 142d Airlift Squadron, New Castle, Del.
- July 2020 - November 2022, Commander, 166th Operations Support Squadron, New Castle, Del.
- November 2022 – Commander, 166th Operations Group, New Castle, Del.
- September 2025 – Commander, 166th Airlift Wing, New Castle, Del.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 6,300
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-1, C-130E, C-130H2, C-130H2.5, C-130H3
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with service star
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border and seven oak leaf clusters
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS
National Guard Association of the United States
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 30, 1997
First Lieutenant, May 30, 1999
Captain, Nov. 29, 2001
Major, Nov. 29, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel, Nov. 29, 2015
Colonel, Sep. 24, 2024
(Current as of November 2025)