If indeed the recovered WSO is a full colonel (US O-6), it isn't the 48th FW Commander - that is an O-7 post. The 2 x aircrew rated O-6s in 48th FW are the Deputy Wing CC and the OG CC. It might be the rank colonel was used in the POTUS announcement but actually meant lt col (O-5) which could be the sqn CC or DO.
I was presuming it was one of the Sqn execs as it is a deployment to operate out of a Gulf FOB and the wing execs were unlikely to deploy with them.