Colonel Thomas K. (“TK”) Wilson is the deputy commander of the 17th Training Wing, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. He is the principal assistant to the wing commander overseeing two training groups, a mission support group and a medical group. The groups provide training and support annually to more than 14,000 graduates in fire protection, special instruments and intelligence for the Department of Defense at four geographically separated units in California, Arizona, Florida, and Virginia. He directs 13 wing staff agencies and assists the commander in managing $1.5 billion in real property, equipment, supplies, and contracts. Col. Wilson also oversees training and support to the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Space Force, Coast Guard, other government agencies, and allied nations, as well as seven other partner organizations. 

Prior to this he served as the Head of the Political Science Department and Assistant Professor of Political Science at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado, where he led 37 faculty and taught American Government, National Security, Causes of War, Regime Change, and Politics of Religion courses.

Col. Wilson commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at the University of Michigan in May 2001. He has served in a variety of signals intelligence, cyber, space, and planning positions at the squadron, group, Joint Task Force, and Combatant Command levels. His assignments include Assistant Director, Intelligence Directorate of Joint Task Force-Space Defense, United States Space Command, Schriever AFB, Colorado. In this capacity, he oversaw 60 military, civilian and contract personnel providing intelligence support to protect and defend operations executed from the National Space Defense Center. He also served as Plans Branch Chief for United States Cyber Command, where he was responsible for long-term cyber planning in the Central, African and Northern Command areas of operation. 

Col. Wilson deployed to conduct operations in Afghanistan. He provided targeting and imagery support to the Combined Air Operations Center. Col. Wilson was also sponsored by the Air Force Institute of Technology to attend Indiana University earning a doctorate in International Relations-Comparative Politics.

EDUCATION
2001 - Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, History and Education, University of Michigan 2009 - Master of Arts in International Relations, Creighton University
2014 – Masters of Science in Military Operations, Air Command and Staff College
2020 – Doctors of Philosophy in Political Science, Indiana University

ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2001 – Feb 2002, Student, Intelligence Basic Course, 315th Training Sq, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2. Mar 2002 – Apr 2004, Chief, Training and Scheduling, 97th Intelligence Squadron, Offutt AFB, Neb.
3. May 2004 – Jan 2006, Chief, National Tactical Integration, 93rd Intelligence Sq, Lackland AFB, Texas.
4. Feb 2006 – Aug 2007, Executive Officer, 543rd Intel Group, NSA/CSS-Texas, Lackland AFB, Texas.
5. Sep 2007 – Jul 2010, Jr Officer Career Cryptologic Program, NSA/CSS-Washington, Fort Meade, Md.
6. Aug 2010 – Jul 2011, Chief, Targets and Imagery Support, CAOC, Al Udeid AB, Qatar.
7. Aug 2011 – Jul 2013, Director of Operations, 566th Intelligence Squadron, Buckley AFB, Colo.
8. Aug 2013 – Jun 2014, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. Jul 2014 – Jun 2017, PhD Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Indiana University, Ind.
10. Jul 2017 – Jun 2018, Chief, Plans Branch, United States Cyber Command, Fort Meade, Md.
11. Jun 2018 – Jul 2020, Commander, 29th Intelligence Squadron, Fort Meade, MD.
12. Jul 2020 – May 2022, Assistant Director, Intelligence Directorate, JTF-SD, Schriever AFB, Colo.
13. June 2022 – June 2024, Department Head and Assistant Professor, Political Science Department, USAFA, Colo.
14. June 2024 – Present, Deputy Commander, 17th Training Wing, Goodfellow AFB, Texas

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Force Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 11 May 2001
First Lieutenant 11 May 2003
Captain 11 May 2005
Major 01 December 2010
Lieutenant Colonel 01 April 2016
Colonel 1 December 2023