Lt Col Tony Perez is the Commander, 367th Recruiting Squadron, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is responsible for 10 flights and 95 personnel throughout eight states in the Western United States between Wyoming and Texas. Prior to this assignment he was the Air Force Inspection Agency’s Director of Mission Support. The mission support directorate delivers full spectrum support – manpower, personnel, services, logistics, command & control, communications, IT, facility management, unit training, readiness & deployments, contracting, finance, and security management. Additionally, his team provides 24/7 reach back support and augmentation to 157 IG inspectors across 59 distinct AFSCs. Lt Col Perez enlisted into the United States Army in 1996 and served in the world-renowned “Go For Broke!” 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment. After his five-year enlistment, Lt Col Perez transferred to the Hawaii Air National Guard and served three years as an air traffic controller before earning an AFROTC scholarship to the University of New Mexico. During his 17 years of service as a force support officer, Lt Col Perez worked in various positions at the Squadron, Group, Wing, Filed Operating Agency, Numbered Air Force, Combatant Command, and Headquarters Air Force levels to include deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Resolute Support.
EDUCATION
2001 Associate’s in Secondary Education, University of Hawaii, Kapiolani, Hawaii
2007 Bachelor’s in History for Secondary Education, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico
2007 Air & Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2014 Master’s in Sports Management, American Military University, Charles Town, West Virginia
2015 Master’s in Strategic Security Studies, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
020 Master’s in Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2023 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama (by correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 2007 – April 2008, Chief, Force Management Operations Element, 377th Force Support Squadron, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
2. April 2008 – April 2009, Executive Officer, 377th Security Forces Squadron, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
3. April 2009 – June 2010, Executive Officer, 377th Mission Support Group, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
4. June 2010 – June 2011, Aide De Camp and Chief of Protocol, United States Forces-Iraq, Forward Operating Base Union III, Baghdad, Iraq
5. July 2011 – October 2012, Flight Commander, Sustainment Services, 6th Force Support Squadron, MacDill AFB, Florida
6. October 2012 – April 2013, AFPAK Hands, Pashto, Defense Language Institute, Tampa, Florida
7. April 2013 – April 2014, Director of Operations, Afghan National Police Command Center, International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan
8. April 2014 – August 2014, AFPAK Hands, Assignments Director, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
9. August 2014 – December 2015, AFPAK Hands Fellowship, College of International Security Affairs, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
10. December 2015 – December 2016, Director, Human Resources Advisory Group, Afghan Special Operations Command, Camp Morehead, Afghanistan
11. January 2017 – March 2018, Director of Operations, 30th Force Support Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, California
12. March 2018 – June 2020, Intermediate Development Education, Air University Fellowship, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
13. July 2020 – July 2022, Commander, 81st Force Support Squadron, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
14. August 2022 – June 2024, Director of Mission Support, The Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
15. June 2024- present, Commander, 367th Recruiting Squadron, Colorado Springs, Colorado
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 2013 – April 2014, Director of Operations, Afghan National Police Command Center, International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan (AFPAK Hands)
2. December 2015 – December 2016, Director, Human Resources Advisory Detachment, Afghan Special Operations Command, Camp Morehead, Afghanistan (AFPAK Hands)
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with 1 oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 4 stars
Iraq Campaign Medal with 1 star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short with 2 oak leaf clusters
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Air Force Longevity Service with 2 oak leaf cluster
Air Force Special Duty Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Army Training Ribbon
NATO Medal with 1 device
(Current as of 7 June 2024)