Colonel Dennis P. Tucker is the Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 75, San Diego State University, California. He is responsible for recruiting, educating, training, motivating, selecting, and commissioning officer candidates through a comprehensive college program. He provides academic instruction on fundamental Air Force doctrine, practical leadership experience, and extensive field training emphasizing physical fitness and officership to prepare future officers for active duty.
Colonel Tucker was commissioned in 1991 through the AFROTC program at the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida. He has commanded at the squadron and group levels and has experience in intercontinental ballistic missile, theater ballistic missile warning, air operation center, and Air Force recruiting operations. He is a space weapons officer, Community College of the Air Force certified instructor, and Air Force strategist who has instructed numerous warfighters on the employment of air and space power at the operational level of war, forged Air Force doctrine, and shaped long range strategy for the Air Force.
Colonel Tucker served as a Strategy Planner and Chief of the Space Specialty Team in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE immediately after 9/11 in the 1st Air Force Air Operation Center. He has served on the staffs of Headquarters Air Force Doctrine Center, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, and Headquarters Air Education and Training Command (AETC) as Executive Officer to the Commander. Col Tucker has also served at Headquarters U.S. Air Force as the Senior Deputy Chief of the Concepts, Strategy, and Wargaming Division. He is a distinguished graduate of Air Command and Staff College, and a graduate of both the Air Force Weapons School and the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies. Before assuming his current duties, he served as Commander, 372d Recruiting Group, Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
1991 Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. 1996 Master of Science in Space Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D. 1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1999 U.S. Air Force Weapons School (USAFWS), Space Division Graduate, Nellis AFB, Nev. 1999 Joint Aerospace Command and Control Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 2000 Command and Control Warrior Advanced Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 2000 Introduction to Special Operations Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla. 2001 NRO Systems Information Course, Chantilly, Va. 2003 Joint Planning Orientation Course, National Defense University, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 2003 Fundamentals of Systems Acquisition Management, Defense Acquisition University 2003 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence 2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. (distinguished graduate) 2006 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, ACSC, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2007 Space 300, Capstone for Space Professional Ed., National Security Space Institute, C. Springs, Colo. 2007 Air War College, by correspondence 2008 School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2008 Master of Airpower Art and Science, SAASS, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1.May 1992 – September 1992, Student, 4315th Combat Crew Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. 2.September 1992 – January 1997, Missile Combat Crew Commander, Flight Commander and OperationsSupport Flight Commander, 742nd Missile Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D. 3.January 1997 – February 1997, Student, Space IQT, 533d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. 4.March 1997 – February 2000, Flight Commander and Chief, Mission Operations, 11th Space WarningSquadron, Schriever AFB, Colo. (July 1999 – December 1999, Student, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, Nev.) 5.February 2000 – February 2003, Deputy Director of Training, C2 Warrior School, Hurlburt Field, Fla.(September 2001 – March 2002, Strategic Planner, Operation NOBLE EAGLE, Continental NORAD Region, Tyndall AFB, Fla.) 6.February 2003 – July 2005, Chief, Space Tactics and Special Technical Operations Plans, HeadquartersAir Mobility Command (Combat Operations Division), Scott AFB, Ill. 7.July 2005 – June 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 8.June 2006 – June 2007, Chief, Counterspace Branch, HQ Air Force Doctrine Center, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 9.July 2007 – June 2008, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 10.June 2008 – June 2009, Senior Deputy Chief, Concepts Strategy and Wargaming Division (SkunkWorks), Headquarters U.S. Air Force Pentagon, Washington D.C. 11.July 2009 – June 2011, Commander, 336th Recruiting Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga. 12.June 2011 – July 2014, Executive Officer to the Commander, Air Education and Training Command,JBSA-Randolph, Texas 13.July 2014 – July 2016, Commander, 372d Recruiting Group, Hill AFB, Utah 14.July 2016 – present, Commander, AFROTC Det 075, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
Legion of Merit Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with four oak leaf clusters Combat Readiness Medal with one oak leaf cluster National Defense Service Medal with bronze star device Global War on Terrororism Service Medal Air and Space Campaign Medal with bronze star device Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with “N” Device & 1 oak leaf cluster Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon Air Force Special Duty Ribbon Air Force Recruiter Ribbon
Distinguished Graduate – Attack and Launch Early Reporting to Theater (ALERT) Initial Qualification Training Distinguished Graduate – Air Command and Staff College Community College of the Air Force Certified Occupational Instructor
Badges: Master Space Operations Badge Basic Missile Operations Badge Weapon & Space Systems: Command Data Buffer (CDB)–Minuteman III Weapon System Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting (REACT)–Minuteman III Weapon System Attack and Launch Early Reporting to Theater (ALERT)—Space-based Theater Missile Warning System Air and Space Operations Center (AOC) Weapon System
Second Lieutenant May 9, 1991 First Lieutenant Nov. 13, 1993 Captain Nov. 13, 1995 Major Sept. 1, 2002 Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 1, 2007 Colonel July 1, 2013 (Current as of April 2018)