Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas Romano is the commander, 369th Recruiting Squadron, 372nd Recruiting Group, Encino, California. He leads 97 personnel comprising of eight enlisted accession flights and two Military Entrance Processing Stations. The squadron is responsible for the recruitment of Airmen and Guardians across 1.8 million square miles covering six counties in California and the USINDOPACOM area of responsibility. The squadron’s mission is to inspire, engage and recruit the brightest, most competitive, and diverse men and women for the Department of the Air Force and Space Force. Lt. Col. Romano entered the Air Force in May 2010 after graduating from Monmouth University, NJ and completing the AFROTC program at Rutgers University, NJ. He graduated from the Security Forces Basic Officer Course in 2011 and after an extensive career cross-trained into Tactical Air Control Party in 2019. Lt Col Romano has deployed in support of Operations SPARTAN SHIELD, ENDURING FREEDOM, INHERENT RESOLVE, and ATLANTIC RESOLVE. He has supported the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Infantry Division, 2nd Infantry Division, 8th Army, and Special Operations Command Korea. Lt Col Romano is Air Support Operations Center Certified, Airborne Qualified, and is an Air Force Special Warfare Operator & Team Leader and Joint Terminal Attack Controller Instructor.
EDUCATION
2010 Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ
2011 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2016 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2018 Masters of Human Relations, Oklahoma University, Norman, OK
2021 Joint Terminal Attack Controller Qualification Course, Will Rogers ANG Base, OK
2023 Leadership Development Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2023 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence), Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2024 Air Support Operations Center Qualification Course, Nellis Air Force Base, NV
2026 Air War College (Correspondence), Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
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Nov 2010-Aug 2013, Flight Commander, 55th Security Forces Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
(Aug 2012-Mar 2013, OIC Logistics/Programs, 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait)
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Aug 2013-Mar 2014, Flight Commander, 8th Security Forces Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
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Mar 2014-Dec 2014, Air Base Defense Officer, 8th Security Forces Squadron, Kunsan AB, ROK
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Jan 2015-May 2017, Operations Officer, 721st Security Forces Squadron, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, CO
(Jul 2016-Oct 2016, Flight Commander, 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
(Oct 2016- Jan 2017, Operations Officer, 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
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May 2017-Aug 2018, Aide-de-Camp, U.S. Special Operations Command North (Airborne), Peterson AFB, CO
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Aug 2018-Oct 2019, Force Protection Officer, Office of Military Cooperation, U.S. Embassy, Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt
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Oct 2019-Nov 2020, TACP Officer Student, 9th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Hood, TX
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Nov 2020-Oct 2021, Flight Commander, 9th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Hood, TX
(Dec 2021-Nov 2022, Director of Operations, 4th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron, Camp Kosciuszko, Poland)
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Oct 2021-Jan 2023, Asst. Director of Operations, 9th Air Support Operations Squadron, Fort Hood, TX
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Jan 2023-Jun 2024, Asst. Director of Operations, 604th Air Support Operations Squadron, Camp Humphreys, ROK
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Jun 2024-Jun 2026, Operations Officer, 607th Air Support Operations Group, Osan AB, ROK
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Jun 2026-PRESENT, Commander, 369th Recruiting Squadron, Encino, California
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Royal Thai Military Parachutist Wings
Norwegian Footmarch Bronze Badge
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2015 Company Grade Officer of the Year, 721st Security Forces Squadron
2015 Company Grade Officer of the Year, Security Forces Association Front Range Chapter Colorado
2015 Security Forces Company Grade Officer of the Year, Air Force Space Command
2016 Security Forces Company Grade Officer of the Year, Air Force Space Command
2016 Company Grade Officer of the Year, 721st Mission Support Group
2022 General Benjamin Davis Jr. FGO Military Award Nominee, 9th Air Support Operations Squadron
2023 Lance P. Sijan United States Air Force Leadership Award FGO Nominee, 607th Air Support Operations Group