Lieutenant Colonel Thomas S. Walter is the Deputy Commander, Maintenance 477th Fighter Group, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. He is responsible for all aircraft maintenance in Air Force Reserve Command's first combat-coded F-22 Fighter Group under a Classic Associate Total Force Integration construct. As the senior-ranking maintenance officer of Alaska's only Reserve unit, he leads more than 150 Airmen, contractors and civilians in the 477th Aircraft Maintenance and Maintenance Squadrons, providing experienced, combat-ready F-22 maintainers to fight and win our nation's wars.
Lt. Col. Walter enlisted into the United States Air Force in 1981 as an aircraft electrician and remained in that AFSC until receiving his commission in 1995 through the Academy of Military Science. He has held a various
assignments in the aircraft and logistics fields at the squadron, group, major command and air staff levels to include multiple contingency operations.
Prior to his present assignment, Lt. Col. Walter served as the Chief, Logistics Initiatives Branch, Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U. S. Air Force, Washington, DC. There he was responsible for the continued development of Repair Network Integration, an enterprise-wide view of select off-equipment repair capability providing integrated, agile support to the warfighter.
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill.
1997 Aircraft Maintenance Officers Course (AMOC), Sheppard AFB, Tx.
1998 Communications-Computer Systems Electrical Engineer Officer, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2004 AFRC Squadron Commanders' Course, Robins AFB, Ga.
2011 Air Command and Staff College (OLMP), by correspondence
2011 Master's in Military Operational Art and Science, Air Univ, Maxwell-Gunter AFB, Montgomery, Ala.
2015 Air War College, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 1982–October 1985, aircraft electrical systems specialist, 60th Avionics Maintenance Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
2. April 1986–August 1990, aircraft electrical systems specialist, 913th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Willow Grove ARS, Pa.
3. April 1993–September 1995, aircraft electrical/environmental specialist, 913th Maintenance Squadron, Willow Grove ARS, Pa.
4. Sept 1995–March 1997, OIC, Aircraft Generation Flight, 327th Airlift Squadron, Willow Grove ARS, Pa.
5. April 1997–July 2000, Executive Officer, 913th Maintenance Squadron, Willow Grove ARS, Pa.
6. Aug 2000–April 2003, OIC, Accessories Flight, 913th Maintenance Squadron, Willow Grove ARS, Pa.
7. May 2003–February 2004, Maintenance Officer, 913th Maintenance Squadron, Willow Grove ARS, Pa.
8. Feb 2004–June 2005, Commander, 913th Maintenance Squadron, Willow Grove ARS, Pa.
9. June 2005–July 2007, Commander, 913th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Willow Grove ARS, Pa.
10. July 2007–September 2008, Maintenance Officer, 916th Maintenance Operations Flight, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
11. Oct 2008–July 2009, Commander, 916th Maintenance Operations Flight, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
12. Aug 2009–November 2011, Commander, 916th Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
13. June 2010–August 2011, Chief, Airborne Branch, Head Quarters ACC, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
14. Dec 2011–April 2014, Deputy Group Commander, 440th Maintenance Group, Pope AFB, N.C.
15. April 2014–April 2016, IMA to the Director of Policy and Integration, Pentagon, D.C.
16. Oct 2014–September 2015 (MPA), AF/A8X Action Officer Total Force-Continuum Office, Pentagon D.C.
17. April 2016–Oct 2016, AF/A4LM Chief, Logistics Initiatives Branch, Pentagon D.C.
18. Nov 2017–Present, Deputy Commander, Maintenance, 477th Fighter Group, JBER, Alaska
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four devices
Air Force Commendation Medal with two devices
Air Force Achievement Medal with two devices
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and one device
AF Good Conduct Medal with one device
National Defense Service Medal with one device
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with two devices
Air Force Longevity Service Award with five devices
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with two devices
Air Force Training Ribbon with one device
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant September, 1995
First Lieutenant September, 1997
Captain September, 2000
Major May, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel August, 2012
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS
Reserve Officers’ Association, Lifetime Member
Airlift Tanker Association