Col. Thomas Tauer is the Deputy Commander, 96th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla. He leads more than 10,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, in accomplishing the 96th Test Wing’s missions of developmental testing and evaluation of conventional munitions, command and control systems, aircraft avionics and guidance systems, and radar cross section measurement. The 96th Test Wing has eight groups and 32 squadrons, operates 38 uniquely modified test aircraft, and manages 120,000 square miles of over-water test ranges plus facilities in six states. He also directs all base operating support, infrastructure, and services support for the Air Force’s largest installation at 726 square miles. The 96th Test Wing hosts nine tenant wings and wing equivalent units—to include the 33d Fighter Wing (F-35 Joint Strike Fighter), 53rd Wing (Operational Test), 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, U.S. Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Center—and 37 other associate units including the U.S. Army 6th Ranger Training Battalion and the 20th Space Surveillance Squadron. As deputy commander, he interacts with local officials across a three-county, 11-city region with an annual military economic impact of $10.8 billion.
Col Tauer earned his commission in May 2003 from the United States Air Force Academy. He has flown as an F16 instructor pilot and evaluator with combat experience in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Col Tauer has also served as a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Fellow, Joint Staff Officer, Wing Chief of Safety, and Flight Test Squadron Commander. Prior to his current position, Col Tauer was a Senior Developmental Education student at the U.S. Naval War College.
Col Tauer is a command pilot with more than 2,300 flying hours in a variety of aircraft, including over 200 combat hours.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, Aeronautical Engineering, USAF Academy, Colo.
2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Science, Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Ariz.
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Master of Science, Flight Test Engineering, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
2015 Master of Science, Aeronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2017 DARPA Fellowship, Arlington, Va.
2023 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2003 – May 2005, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. May 2005 – September 2006, Student, F-16 Upgrade Training, 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
3. September 2006 – December 2007, F-16 Pilot/Assistant Chief of Training, 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan
(May 2007 – October 2007, F-16 Pilot/Assistant Weapons Officer, 13th FS, Balad AB, Iraq)
4. December 2007 – August 2009, F-16 Instructor Pilot/Activity Security Monitor, 13th FS, Misawa AB, Japan
(February 2009 – May 2009, F-16 IP/Activity Security Monitor, 13th FS, Suwon AB, South Korea)
5. August 2009 – October 2010, F-16 IP/Flight Commander, 62nd Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
6. October 2010 – May 2012, F-16 Evaluator Pilot (EP)/Standardization & Evaluation Officer, 56th Operations Group, Luke AFB, Ariz.
7. May 2012 – August 2012, F-16 EP/Assistant Director of Operations (ADO), 62nd FS, Luke AFB, Ariz.
8. August 2012 – December 2013, Student/Class Leader, AFIT, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
9. December 2013 – February 2015, Student/Class Leader, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
10. February 2015 – December 2015, F-16 IP/Test Pilot/Training Flight Commander, Eglin AFB, Fla.
11. December 2015 – July 2016, F-16 IP/Test Pilot/ADO, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
12. July 2016 – May 2017, Fellow, DARPA, Arlington, Va.
13. May 2017 – May 2019, Requirements Officer/Electronic Warfare & Autonomous Systems Lead, Joint Staff J8, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
14. May 2019 – July 2020, Wing Chief of Safety, assignment data masked.
15. July 2020 – July 2022, Commander, Flight Test Squadron, assignment data masked.
16. July 2022 – June 2023, Student, United States Naval War College, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
17. July 2023 – Present, Deputy Commander, 96th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
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May 2017 – May 2019, Requirements Officer/Electronic Warfare & Autonomous Systems Lead, Joint Staff J8, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,300
Aircraft flown: F-16, experimental, and 29 others
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Distinguished Graduate, US Air Force Academy
2004 Distinguished Graduate, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training
2006 Daedalian Leadership Award, F-16 Initial Qualification Course
2008 Group Flight Lead of the Year, 35th Operations Group
2009 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School
2011 Group CGO of the Year, 56th Operations Group
2014 Distinguished Graduate/Liethen-Tittle Award, US Air Force Test Pilot School
2014 Onizuka Prop Wash Award, US Air Force Test Pilot School
2018 Deputy Director Action Officer of the Year, Joint Staff J8
2020 AFMC Special Programs Test Team of the Year
2022 AFMC Special Programs Test Team of the Year
2023 Distinguished Graduate with Highest Distinction, US Naval War College
OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
Command pilot
Parachutist
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Full member, Society of Experimental Test Pilots
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 2003
First Lieutenant May 28, 2005
Captain May 28, 2007
Major May 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2016
Colonel April 1, 2022
(CURRENT AS OF JULY 2023)