Col Christina L. Hopper is the Commander of the 413th Flight Test Group (FTG), Robins AFB, Georgia. She commands a 432-member Air Force Reserve Group and oversees an $8M annual budget in coordination with Air Force Materiel Command to deliver qualified aircrew and associated support personnel to conduct depot-level, airworthiness functional and acceptance check flights, recover battle-damaged aircraft from abroad, perform developmental test, and provide aeromedical staging support worldwide. The 413 FTG is comprised of seven geographically separated units flying sixteen distinct mission design series aircraft and delivering mission-ready aircraft to the war fighter. Col Christina Hopper was commissioned in the Air Force in May 1998 through Air Force ROTC at the University of Texas at Austin. She attended UPT at Vance AFB, graduating in April 2000, followed by the F-16 Initial Qualification Course at Luke AFB, AZ in 2001. She has more than 21 years of service, including 10 years active and 11 years reserve, flying F-16 and T-38C aircraft. She has held a variety of leadership positions in both fighter squadrons and flying training squadrons at Cannon AFB, Luke AFB, and Laughlin AFB. Prior to her current position, Col Hopper served as the Commander of the 5th Flying Training Squadron at Vance AFB, OK. From 2000-2004, Col Hopper served in the 524th Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, as an F-16 Mission Commander and 4-ship Flight Lead. During this time, she deployed supporting Operations NOBLE EAGLE, SOUTHERN WATCH, and IRAQI FREEDOM, and completed over 50 combat missions supporting coalition forces in Iraq. From 2004-2008, she served in the 63rd Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ as an F-16 Fighter Training Unit Instructor Pilot, Chief of Scheduling overseeing the transition from manual to electronic scheduling, and Operations Group Executive Officer for the largest fighter wing in the Air Force. Following a five-year break in service, Col Hopper was recommissioned and completed T-38 Instructor Pilot certification at Randolph AFB, TX. She then instructed UPT at Laughlin AFB, TX for one year before transitioning to T-38 instruction at Vance AFB, OK in 2014. Since that time, Col Hopper has served in the 5 FTS as a T-38 Evaluator/Instructor Pilot, T-38 Flight Commander, Assistant Director of Operations, Director of Operations and Commander. EDUCATION 1998 Bachelor of Arts with Honors, Psychology, Univ of Texas, Austin, TX 2005 Squadron Officer School, Correspondence 2013 Master of Education, Liberty University, VA, 4.0 GPA 2017 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence 2024 Air War College, Correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1.July 1998 -- March 1999, Awaiting UPT/Special Assistant to CC, 559th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph Air Force Base, TX
2.March 1999 -- April 2000, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK
3.April 2000 -- July 2000, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, 49th Fighter Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, MS
4.July 2000 -- June 2001, F-16 Initial Qualification Training, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, AZ5.June 2001 -- July 2004, F-16 Pilot, Squadron Training Officer, Life Support Officer, 524th Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM (December 2002 -- May 2003, F-16 Pilot, 332 Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait, F-16 Subject Matter Expert, Combined Air Operations Center, Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia)
6.July 2004 -- April 2008, F-16 FTU Instructor Pilot, Chief of Scheduling, 63rd Fighter Squadron, Chief of Strategic Plans, 56th Fighter Wing, Executive Officer, 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, AZ
7.April 2008 -- January 2013, Break-in-Service
8.January 2013 -- July 2013, Pilot Instructor Training, 560th Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, TX
9.July 2013 -- April 2014, T-38C Instructor Pilot, 96th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, TX
10.April 2014 -- October 2020, T-38C Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, 5th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, OK
11.October 2020 -- March 2023, T-38C Evaluator Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, 5th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, OK
12.March 2023 -- April 2024, T-38C Evaluator Pilot, Director of Operations, 5th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, OK
13.April 2024 -- July 2025, T-38C Evaluator Pilot, Commander, 5th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, OK
14.July 2025 -- Present, T-38C FCF/Instructor Pilot, Commander, 413th Flight Test Group
FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating:
Command Pilot Flight hours: more than 3000 Aircraft flown: T-38, F-16, MD-88
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Combat Action Medal
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with six oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air and Space Campaign Medal
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold border
Air and Space Longevity Service Award with four oak leaf clusters
Developmental Special Duty Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Training Ribbon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1998 Distinguished Graduate, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
2003 27th Fighter Wing Woman of the Year, Military Grade
2003 Good Housekeeping Magazine Woman of the Year
2008 Air Education and Training Command Women's History Trailblazer Award
2015 340th Flying Training Group Citizen Airman of the Year
2017 71st Flying Training Wing Instructor Pilot of the Quarter
2019 340th Flying Training Group Flight Commander of the Year
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, June 21, 1998
First Lieutenant, June 21, 2000
Captain June 21, 2002
Major, November 6, 2012
Lieutenant Colonel, November 6, 2019
Colonel, May 22, 2025
(Current as of Aug 2025)