Col. Matt Horner - Staff Directory

Col. Matt Horner

Title:
Department Head, Physical Education
Email:
Phone:
719-333-9295

Col Matt Horner is the Permanent Professor and Head of the Department of Physical Education at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA). He leads USAFA’s physical mission, developing physically capable, mentally resilient, and emotionally prepared warfighters equipped for the demands of military service and a lifetime of service to the Department of the Air Force. He oversees 105 instructors delivering 25 physical education courses, cadet physical and aerobic fitness testing, athletic rehabilitation, intramural athletics, national championship men’s and women’s intercollegiate boxing programs, and the Cadet Fitness Center. He is also responsible for ensuring world-class facilities support cadet development and physical readiness. Additionally, Col Horner directs the Air Force Combatives Center of Excellence, overseeing instructor development and curriculum supporting the training of approximately 100,000 Department of the Air Force personnel annually.

Previously, Col Horner served as Director and Permanent Professor of USAFA’s Center for Character and Leadership Development, where he led institutional character and leadership development programs, provided oversight of the Cadet Wing Honor System, and directed research, scholarship, assessment, and strategic partnerships with military and civilian institutions. Prior to this assignment, he served as Director of Staff to USAFA’s Dean of Faculty, exercising command oversight of approximately 750 military and civilian personnel across 20 academic departments and seven staff agencies, a $16.6 million budget, and two million square feet of facilities supporting the education and commissioning of approximately 1,000 officers annually. He also served as an Assistant Professor of Management, instructing cadets in organizational dynamics and leadership.

Col Horner entered the Air Force in May 2002 upon graduation from USAFA. He completed undergraduate pilot training in January 2004 at Moody AFB and NAS Corpus Christi and subsequently served as an aircraft commander and instructor pilot in the C-17A, C-12F/J, and T-53A aircraft. He held various squadron, group, and wing positions in the Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility and completed multiple contingency deployments, most recently serving as Senior Duty Officer of Kuwait’s Air Defense Liaison Team between 2019-2020 where he represented U.S. joint operations in the Kuwait Air Operations Center to coordinate air and missile defense and theater security cooperation with host nation military forces. Prior to his promotion to Colonel, he served as a USAFA Senior Military Faculty.

EDUCATION
2002 Bachelor of Science, Economics, USAFA, Colo.
2004 Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. & Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 Master of Business Administration with Honors, American Military University, Charles Town, W. Va.
2016 Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence (2016 in-residence doctoral program).
2016 Doctor of Philosophy, Sport Management, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2023 Squadron Commander Course, Air Force Personnel Center, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.
2023 Senior Officer Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2024 Superintendent’s Leader of Character Certificate, USAFA, Colo.
2025 Master of Arts, Character Education, University of Birmingham, England (in progress).

ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2002 – January 2004, Student Pilot Trainee, Moody AFB, Ga. & NAS Corpus Christi, Texas.
2. January 2004 – October 2008, C-12F/J Instructor Pilot, Chief C-12 Replacement Training Unit, & Executive Officer, 517th Airlift Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.
(January 2008 – May 2008, Executive Officer, 386th Expeditionary Operations Group, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
3. October 2008 – March 2009, Student, C-17 Aircraft Commander Initial Qualification Course, Altus AFB, Okla.
4. March 2009 – May 2010, C-17A Pilot & Support Flight Commander, 535th Airlift Squadron, Hickam AFB, Hawaii.
5. May 2010 – January 2012, Director, Commander’s Action Group, 15th Wing, Hickam AFB, Hawaii.
6. January 2012 – June 2013, Instructor & Director, Athletic Programs Division, Department of Physical Education, Directorate of Athletics, USAFA, Colo.
7. June 2013 – June 2016, Doctoral Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, in-residence at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Fla.
8. June 2016 – September 2019, Instructor & Deputy Head, Department of Physical Education, Directorate of Athletics, USAFA, Colo.
9. September 2019 – November 2020, Senior Duty Officer, Air Defense Liaison Team-Kuwait, Kuwait City, Kuwait
10. November 2020 – June 2022, Senior Military Faculty & Director of Staff, Directorate of Athletics, USAFA, Colo.
11. June 2022 – August 2023, Head, Department of Physical Education, & Director, AFCCoE, Directorate of Athletics, USAFA, Colo.
12. August 2023 – July 2024, Director of Staff & Assistant Professor of Management, Dean of Faculty, USAFA, Colo.
13. July 2024 – July 2025, Permanent Professor & Deputy Director, CCLD, USAFA, Colo.
14. July 2025 – September 2026, Permanent Professor & Director, CCLD, USAFA, Colo.
15. September 2026 – Present, Permanent Professor & Head, Department of Physical Education, USAFA, Colo.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Instructor Pilot
Flight hours: 1,500
Aircraft flown: C-17A, C-12F/J, T-53A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Achievement Medal

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Horner, M., White, T., Charlton, R. and Deporres, D., 2026. The Culture Metaphor: A Simple Guide to Creating Healthier Organizations. The Journal of Values-Based Leadership, 19(2), p.4.
Kelley, C. , Orlowsky, M., Soboroff, S., DePorres, D., Horner, M., & Levy, D. (2024). Leadership as a Values-Driven System. Journal of Character and Leadership Development, 11(2), 68-74.
DePorres, D., Orlowsky, M., Horner, M., & Levy, D. (2024). Lens X: A Practical Approach to Taking Care of Your People. Journal of Character and Leadership Development, 11(1), 46-52.
Weller, C., Huston, D., & Horner, M. (2020). How the neuroscience of leadership enables a culture of innovation. The Journal of Character & Leadership Development, 7(2), 97-105.
McLeod, C., Horner, M., & Hawzen, M. (2017). City sterilization and poverty management: Examining a mobility hub in the redevelopment and enhancement of downtown Tallahassee. Transfers, 7(3), 94-111.
Horner, M., Ternes, N., & McLeod, C. (2016). Not going pro: On seeking lasting returns from college sports. Journal of Amateur Sport, 2(1), 188-213.

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 2002
First Lieutenant May 29, 2004
Captain May 29, 2006
Major March 1, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel February 1, 2017
Colonel December 1, 2023