Lt Col Thomas Easter is the Commander 550th Fighter Squadron, Kingsley Field, Oregon. He commands 90 active association members geographically separated from Luke Air Force Base at the United States Air Force’s sole source of F-15C pilot production. He is responsible for training the world’s best air superiority combat pilots, maintainers, and support specialists while developing air dominance advocates for the United States Air Force.
Lt Col Easter entered the Air Force in 2009 after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from California State University Sacramento and graduated Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma in 2012. He is a F-15C Instructor Pilot and has served in four consecutive overseas operational assignments encompassing over 270 combat hours supporting multiple combat operations in Southwest Asia. Additionally, he led his squadron to win the Raytheon Trophy as the Air Force’s Air Superiority Fighter Squadron of the Year. Prior to his current position, Lt Col Easter was the Counter-Integrated Air Defense Systems Branch Chief, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
Lt Col Easter is a senior pilot with more than 1,900 flying hours in the F-15C/D. He has flown sorties supporting NATO Enhanced Air Policing as well as Operations INHERENT RESOLVE, DELIBERATE RESOLVE, SPARTAN SHIELD, and ATLUS GUARDIAN.
EDUCATION
2009 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, California State University Sacramento 2010 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala
2015 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala
2022 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2022 Combat Air Force Fellowship, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
ASSIGNMENTS or CAREER CHRONOLOGY
December 2009 – March 2012, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, Oklahoma
March 2012 – November 2012, Student, F-15C Formal Training Unit, 56th Training Squadron, Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base, Oregon
November 2012 – February 2015, F-15C Mission Commander and Chief of Scheduling, 67th Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan
February 2015 – November 2018, F-15C Evaluator Pilot and Flight Commander Wing Plans and Exercises, 18 Operations Support Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
November 2018 – December 2020, Chief of Current Operations, 48 Operations Support Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom (January 2019 – July 2019, Assistant Director of Operations, 493d Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Data Masked)
December 2020 – July 2022, Director of Operations, 493 Fighter Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom
July 2022 – July 2023, Intermediate Developmental Education Combat Air Force Fellowship, Air War College, Ramstein AB, Germany
July 2023 – July 2024, Counter-Integrated Air Defense Systems Branch Chief, HQ USAFE-AFAFRICA, Ramstein AB, Germany
July 2024 – Present, Commander 550 Fighter Squadron, Kingsley Field ANGB, Ore.
FLIGHT INFORMATION [FLIGHT RATED ONLY]
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight Hours: more than 1,800, including more than 270 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: T-6A, T-38C, F-15 C/D
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal
Operation INHERENT RESOLVE Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global
War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Sep 19, 2009
First Lieutenant Sep 19, 2011
Captain Sep 19, 2013
Major July 1, 2019
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2024
(Current as of November 2024)