Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Ayers currently serves as the Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Operations, Strategic Deterrence, and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. In this position he develops and implements policy, obtains resources, and develops concepts of operation in order to ensure U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa are properly organized, trained and equipped.
Brigadier General Ayers was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program in 1986. He spent 14 years on active duty in a variety of assignments to include working as a design engineer, airlift and tanker Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, KC-10 FTU Instructor Pilot, Assistant Director of Operations, and deployed Director of Operations. In May 2000, General Ayers entered the Air Force Reserve and served as an Assistant Director of Operations, on four deployments as Director of Operations, as a Squadron Commander, Deputy Operations Group Commander, as deployed Commander of the 60th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia, as Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, as a Political-Military Strategist to the Deputy Director for Partnership Strategy, Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, and more recently as the IMA to the Director of Programs and Requirements, Office of the Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
General Ayers is a command pilot with more than 5,000 military flying hours. He has deployed numerous times in leadership and flying roles supporting contingencies worldwide.
EDUCATION
1986 Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown
1988 Master of Arts degree in Political Science, Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas
1993 Squadron Officer School, in residence, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2006 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, D.C.
2007 Air War College, by correspondence
2009 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2011 Master of Science degree, National Security Strategy, National War College, in residence, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2012 Commander of Air Force Forces Senior Staff Course, Fort Dix, N.J.
2015 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2016 Capstone Flag and General Officer Course, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1986 - May 1989, Design Engineer, Contract Administration Officer, and Readiness Officer, 3750th Civil Engineering Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. May 1989 - June 1990, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. June 1990 - August 1990, Student, U.S. Air Force Survival School, Fairchild AFB, Wash., U.S. Air Force Water Survival School, Homestead AFB, Fla., C-141B initial qualification course, Altus AFB, Okla.
4. September 1990 - February 1996, C-141B Lead Airdrop and Special Operations Low Level (SOLL) II Instructor and Evaluator Pilot, Flight Commander, Commander's Executive Officer, 76th and 16th Airlift Squadrons, Charleston AFB, S.C.
5. February 1996 - May 2000, KC-10 Flight Training Unit Instructor And Evaluator Pilot, Crisis Action Team Executive Officer, Assistant. Director of Operations, 32nd Air Refueling Squadron/305th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire AFB, N.J.
6. May 2000 - May 2003, Assistant Director of Operations, interim Director of Operations, Flight Training Unit instructor and evaluator pilot, 78th Air Refueling Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
7. May 2003 - January 2004, NAF Flight Examiner and Action Officer, Headquarters, 21st Air Force, McGuire AFB, N.J.
8. January 2004 - May 2005, Assistant Director of Operations, Flight Training Unit instructor and evaluator pilot, 78th Air Refueling Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J.
9. May 2005 - June 2008, Commander, 78th Air Refueling Squadron, 514th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire AFB, N.J.
10. June 2008 - February 2010, Deputy Commander, 514th Operations Group, 514th Air Mobility Wing, McGuire AFB, N.J.
11. February 2010 - July 2010, Senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Training Center, Fort Dix, N.J.
12. July 2010 - June 2011, Student, National War College, Fort Leslie McNair, Washington, D.C.
13. June 2011 - September 2012, Political-Military Strategist to Deputy Director for Partnership Strategy, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
14. October 2012 - December 2013, Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Director of Plans, Programs and Requirements, Office of the Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington D.C.
15. December 2013 - present, Mobilization Assistant to the Director, Operations, Strategic Deterrence, and Nuclear Integration, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa , Ramstein Air Base, Germany
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2011 - September 2012, Political-Military Strategist to Deputy Director for Partnership Strategy, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Strategic Plans and Policy Directorate, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 5,000 military
Aircraft flown: military T-37, T-38, C-141B, KC-10A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and eight oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with seven oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with oak leaf cluster
Southwest Asia Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Kosovo Campaign Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with oak leaf cluster
Iraq Campaign Medal with oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with oak leaf cluster
(Current as of January 2016)