Colonel Matthew A. Norton

Colonel Matthew A. “NIMo” Norton commands the 17th Training Wing, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. A joint center of excellence, Goodfellow is the home to the Department of Defense Fire Academy and multi-service intelligence technical training. The wing is responsible for training more than 14,000 firefighting and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance warriors annually for the United States Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Space Force, Coast Guard and other government agencies and allied nations. In addition to Goodfellow, Colonel Norton has command responsibility for four geographically separated units in California, Arizona, Florida, and Virginia. He manages property, equipment, supplies and contracts in excess of $1.5 billion and an annual operating budget exceeding $288 million. Colonel Norton also provides support to Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Space Force on-base units, as well as seven other partner organizations and the Angelo State University Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

Previously, Colonel Norton served as Director of Intelligence, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. He served as the Senior Intelligence Officer to the AETC Commander and as the functional lead for all intelligence personnel within the command.  He was responsible for developing and integrating advanced learning methodology into MAJCOM and AF operational concepts and force development strategy. Colonel Norton also directed unit-level intelligence support to all AETC training wings, affecting the 60,000-member workforce responsible for recruiting, training, and educating USAF Airmen.

Colonel Norton is a graduate of Texas A&M University and received his commission from the United States Air Force Officer Training School in August 2001. He has completed assignments within Air Force Special Operations, the DCGS weapons system, the National Security Agency, and Weapons & Tactics programs at the Squadron, Group and MAJCOM levels.  He has deployed with Joint Special Operations Task Forces in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.  He previously served as the Deputy Director of Intelligence for Joint Special Operations Command, responsible for the overall, worldwide intelligence of the Command, supporting multiple, geographically and functionally aligned subordinate commands. Prior to this assignment, Colonel Norton was the Commander of the 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, a team of 1,100 Airmen conducting National and Air Force cryptologic missions associated with CENTCOM, AFRICOM, EUCOM and SOCOM operations.

He is married to the former Melissa Ann Hazlett of San Antonio, Texas and they have one daughter, Montana Avery Norton.

EDUCATION
2000 Bachelors of Science in Political Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 
2001 Aerospace Basic, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Intelligence Officers Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2006 Intelligence Sensor Weapons Instructor Course, Distinguished Graduate, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Strategic Intelligence, American Public University 2011 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
2019 Master of Science, National Security Studies, National War College
2025 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.

ASSIGNMENTS
Aug. 2001 – Apr. 2002, Executive Officer, 315th Training Squadron, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
May 2002 – Dec. 2002, Student, Intelligence Officer Course, 315th TRS, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
Jan. 2003 – June 2003, Senior Duty Director, USAFE Intelligence Operations Center Watch, Ramstein AB, Ger.
July 2003 – May 2004, Deputy Flight Commander, Mission Management, 24th Intelligence Squadron, Ramstein AB, Ger.
June 2004 – Mar. 2005, Flight Commander, Weapon & Tactics & Analysis, 24th Intelligence Squadron, Ramstein AB, Ger.
Apr. 2005 – Dec. 2005, Chief, DGS-4 Standardizations & Evaluations, 24th Intelligence Squadron, Ramstein AB, Ger.
Jan. 2006 – June 2006, Student, Intelligence Sensor Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
June 2006 – Apr. 2008, Chief, National-Tactical Integration, 93d Intelligence Squadron, NSA/CSS-TX, Lackland AFB, Texas
May 2008 – Dec. 2008, Chief, Standardizations & Evaluations, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas
Dec. 2008 – Feb. 2009, Executive Officer to the Vice Commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas
Feb. 2009 – Mar. 2010, Aide-de-camp to the Commander, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas
Apr. 2010 – July 2010, Chief, ISR Weapons & Tactics, Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas
July 2010 – July 2013, Director of Operations, 361st Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance Group, Hurlburt Field,  Fla.
July 2013 – July 2014, CSAF Foreign Policy Fellow, Georgetown University, Washington D.C.
July 2014 – July 2016, Action Officer, Counter Proliferation & Unified Collection Division, The Joint Staff J-39, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
July 2016 – July 2018, Commander, 25th Intelligence Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Aug. 2018 – June 2019, Student, National War College, Washington, D.C.
June 2019 – July 2020, Deputy Commanding Officer, Joint Cyber Operations Group (JSOC), Washington, D.C.
July 2020 – June 2022, Deputy Director of Intelligence, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
June 2022- July 2024, Commander, 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, Fort Eisenhower, Ga.
July 2024 – July 2025, Director of Intelligence, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
July 2025 – Present, Commander, 17th Training Wing, Goodfellow AFB, Texas

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 
July 2014 – July 2016, Action Officer, Counter Proliferation & Unified Collection Div., The Joint Staff J-39, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a Major
June 2019 – July 2020, Deputy Commanding Officer, Joint Cyber Operations Group (JSOC), Washington, D.C., as a Lt Colonel
July 2020 – June 2022, Deputy Director of Intelligence, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a Colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION 
Rating: None
Flight hours: 500+ combat hours
Aircraft flown: U-28, DHC-7, DHC-8, BE300, BE350, C130J, CN235, and P-3C

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Legion of Merit w/ oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal w/ two oak leaf clusters 
Meritorious Service Medal w/ two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal w/ three oak leaf clusters 
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal w/ “C” device & oak leaf cluster 
Air Force Commendation Medal w/ oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal w/ two oak leaf clusters 
Distinguished - Presidential Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/ valor device and oak leaf cluster