BRIGADIER GENERAL THOMAS L. TINSLEY Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Tinsley is Commander, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. The 3rd Wing provides the Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, trained and equipped tactical air supremacy assets with all-weather strike capability, command and control platforms, and strategic airlift resources for contingency operations. The wing flies the F-22A, F-15C, C-17, C-12 and E-3, and maintains a regional medical facility providing care for all forces in Alaska. The installation also hosts headquarters for the 11th Air Force, Alaskan Command and Alaskan North American Aerospace Defense Command Region as well as 41 tenant units. General Tinsley was commissioned in 1984 through the ROTC program at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and subsequently was a distinguished graduate of undergraduate pilot training. He has served as an F-15 instructor pilot, F-15C test pilot, wing weapons officer, exchange officer and instructor with the Royal Australian Air Force. He has served in the Directorate for Plans and Policy on the Joint Staff as South Asia desk officer and executive assistant to the Deputy for Political-Military Affairs for Asia Pacific and the Middle East. He has commanded the 12th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, and the 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Va. Prior to his current assignment, he was executive officer to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. The general is a command pilot with more than 3,200 flight hours in the F-15, F/A-18 and F-22A. EDUCATION 1984 Bachelor of Science degree in air transportation management, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Ariz. 1989 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1995 Master of Science degree in aviation science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University 1998 Masters degree in national security and strategic studies, Naval Command and General Staff College, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. ASSIGNMENTS 1. May 1984 - May 1985, student, undergraduate pilot training, Columbus AFB, Miss. 2. May 1985 - January 1986, student, fighter lead-in training, Holloman AFB, N.M. 3. January 1986 - August 1988, squadron scheduler and assistant chief of training, 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M. 4. August 1988 - November 1988, student, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz. 5. November 1988 - March 1989, instructor pilot, 555th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz. 6. March 1989 - January 1991, weapons officer, 405th Tactical Training Wing, Luke AFB, Ariz. 7. January 1991 - October 1991, student, Fighter Weapons School Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev. 8. October 1991 - January 1992, weapons officer, 58th Operations Support Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz. 9. January 1992 - March 1994, instructor, 2nd Operational Conversion Unit, and lead air-to-air instructor, Fighter Combat Instructor Course, Royal Australian Air Force Base Williamtown, Australia 10. March 1994 - May 1997, test pilot and Chief, Tactics Documentation Division, 422nd Tactical Evaluation Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev. 11. May 1997 - July 1998, student, Naval Command and General Staff College, Naval War College, Newport, R.I. 12. July 1998 - February 2000, South Asia desk officer, Directorate for Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 13. February 2000 - August 2000, executive assistant to the Deputy for Political-Military Affairs for Asia, Pacific and the Middle East, Directorate for Plans and Policy (J5), Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 14. August 2000 - November 2001, Director of Operations, 12th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 15. November 2001 - June 2003, Commander, 12th Fighter Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska 16. June 2003 - June 2004, Secretary of Defense Fellow, General Dynamics C4 Systems, Scottsdale, Ariz. 17. July 2004 - August 2005, Commander, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, Va. 18. August 2005 - May 2007, executive officer to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. 19. May 2007 - present, Commander, 3rd Wing, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: More than 3,200 Aircraft flown: F-15A-D, F/A-18A and F-22A MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Legion of Merit Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Medal Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant April 27, 1984 First Lieutenant April 27, 1986 Captain April 27, 1988 Major Dec. 1, 1995 Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 1998 Colonel June 1, 2004 Brigadier General Frocked (Current as of February 2008)