Commander

COLONEL THOMAS B. FROONINCKX - Professor of Aerospace Studies

Colonel Tom Frooninckx is the Commander of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 220 and Professor of Aerospace Studies at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He is responsible for training and mentoring candidates to be commissioned officers in the United States Air Force.

Colonel Frooninckx entered the Air Force in 1984 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Parks College of Saint Louis University. He has been assigned to a variety of operations and staff positions and has performed duties in 17 countries in Europe, Asia, and South America. He has worked directly with USSOUTHCOM, USCENTCOM, and the National Intelligence Community and has served as a non-rated aircrew member, a MAJCOM command briefer, an Air Staff deputy division chief, a squadron commander, a group commander, and a Field Operating Agency vice commander.

His career highlights include serving as weather team officer-in-charge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the Iran-Iraq War; establishing the USSOUTHAF Air Operations Center in Panama and supporting counter-drug operations in Central and South America; leading environmental support to multiple agencies within the National Intelligence Community; and commanding the Department of Defense’s lead Joint meteorological forecast unit during the onsets of both Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.

Education

• 1984 Bachelor of Science (meteorology - cum laude), Parks College of Saint Louis University, Mo.
• 1989 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
• 1991 Master of Science (space physics), Utah State University, Utah
• 1997 Air Command and Staff College, Correspondence
• 1998 Master of Military Art and Science, United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
• 2001 Distinguished Graduate, Joint Air Command and Control Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
• 2001 Air War College, Correspondence
• 2004 Distinguished Graduate, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.

Flight Information

• Basic Non-rated Aircrew Badge, 700 hours, EC-135, KC-135, and KC-10
• Master Meteorologist Badge

Major Awards and Decorations

• Legion of Merit
• Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
• Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
• Air Force Achievement Medal
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal

Effective Dates of Promotion

• Second Lieutenant Nov. 29, 1984
• First Lieutenant Nov. 29, 1986
• Captain Nov. 29, 1988
• Major Aug. 1, 1996
• Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2001
• Colonel March 1, 2006