Colonel Tad Clark is Vice Commander, 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany better known as 'Saber Nation'. The wing is comprised of more than 5,000 dedicated personnel who maintain, deploy and employ the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft and $6 billion of assets used in support of United States and North Atlantic Treaty Organization missions and the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe with mission-ready personnel and systems for expeditionary air power.
He was commissioned in 1996 from the US Air Force Academy and earned his wings from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB. Colonel Clark has served as an F-16 Mission Commander and Instructor Pilot, led NATO's largest Link-16 large force exercise in history comprising of over 85 combat aircraft, was a member of the 2006-2007 USAF ‘Thunderbirds’ Air Demonstration Squadron, served as Aide-de-Camp to the USAF Warfare Center Commander, commanded the 451st Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron and most recently served as the senior executive officer to the Deputy Commander, US Africa Command.
Colonel Clark is a command pilot, and a current and qualified F-16 instructor pilot, with over 3,300 flying hours in the T-37, T-38, AT-38, and F-16, more than 2,000 of which are in the F-16. He flew 118 missions in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM with multiple expeditionary fighter squadrons to include the 480th EFS ‘Great Warhawk Nation’, culminating in more than 600 combat hours in the F-16CM.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science in Management, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2001 Masters in Business Administration, Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas
2005 Tactical Leadership Programme, Florennes Air Base, Belgium
2007 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2010 Masters in Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
2012 Air War College, by correspondence
2014 Masters in National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
2018 Senior Leader Nuclear Management Course, USAF Nuclear College, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jan 1997 - Feb 1998, Student Pilot, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, 80 FTW, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. Mar 1998 - Apr 2001, T-37 First Assignment Instructor Pilot, Check Section Pilot, 89 FTS, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. May 2001 - Jun 2001, AT-38 Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, 88 FTS, Sheppard AFB, Texas
4. Jul 2001 - Apr 2002, F-16 Basic Course, 61 FS, Luke AFB, Arizona
5. May 2002 - Jun 2002, F-16 Night Systems Course, 310 FS, Luke AFB, Arizona
6. Jul 2002 - Jul 2003, F-16 Flight Lead, Chief of Life Support, Chief of Safety, 35 FS, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
7. Aug 2003 - Oct 2005, F-16 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, Chief of Scheduling, 22 FS, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
8. Nov 2005 - Dec 2007, USAF Air Demonstration Squadron, the ‘Thunderbirds’, Nellis AFB, Nevada
9. Jan 2008 - Jun 2009, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, USAF Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nevada
10. Jan 2008 - Jun 2009, F-16 Adversary Tactics Pilot, IR Missile Expert, 64th Aggressor Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nevada
11. Jul 2009 - Jul 2010, Graduate Student, National Intelligence University, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
12. Aug 2010 - Mar 2012, Division Chief, Sr Leader Mgt, HQ Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia
13. Apr 2012 - Apr 2013, Commander, 451st Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Kandahar, Afghanistan
14. Jul 2013 - Jun 2014, Graduate Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
15. Jul 2014 - Jun 2017, Joint Staff Officer, US Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany
16. Jun 2017 - Present, Vice Commander, 52d Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: 3,300+
Combat Hours: 600+
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, and F-16
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
2014-2015, Command Electronic Warfare Officer & Chief, Joint Cyber Center, USAFRICOM, Stuttgart, Germany as a Lieutenant Colonel
2015-2016, Deputy Division Chief, Information & Cyberspace Operations, USAFRICOM, Stuttgart, Germany as a Lieutenant Colonel
2016-2017, Senior Executive Officer, Deputy Commander, USAFRICOM, Stuttgart, Germany as a Colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1996
First Lieutenant May 29, 1998
Captain May 29, 2000
Major May 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel December, 1 2010
Colonel March 1, 2017
(Current as of September 2018)