Col Thomas Taylor is the Deputy Commander of the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. As the Deputy Commander, he is responsible for the health and welfare of roughly 4,900 active duty members, 500 civilian employees, and 6,000 family members. He also assists with overseeing operations involving the wing’s fleet of B-52H bombers to provide deterrence and long-range strike capability for combatant command operations worldwide.
Colonel Taylor entered the Air Force as a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. During his career he has filled numerous flying positions at the 9th, 34th, and 28th B-1 flying squadrons. He served at U.S. Strategic Command where he was assigned as a Strike Advisor and Joint Mission Training Officer in the Joint Education and Training division. He served as the Director of Operations and later Commander of the 34th Bomb Squadron. Additionally, he served as the Deputy Commander of the 28th Operations Group and the Senior Executive Officer to the Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. Prior to his current position, Colonel Taylor served as the Chief, Inspections Division, Inspector General Directorate, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command.
Colonel Taylor is a Command Pilot with more than 3,500 flight hours in the B-1. He has completed five deployments in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, FREEDOM’S SENTINEL, and INHERENT RESOLVE accumulating 1793 combat hours. As a Squadron Commander, he led Bomber Task Force deployments to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and European Command.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science Degree, Mechanical Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2011 United States Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
2013 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Florida
2015 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
2016 Joint Professional Military Education II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
2024 Master of National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport Naval Station, Rhode Island
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2003 - June 2005, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 2005 – May 2006, F-16 Formal Training Unit Student, 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Arizona
3. May 2006 - January 2007, B-1 Formal Training Unit Student, 28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
4. January 2007 – October 2009, B-1 Aircraft Commander, Squadron Scheduler, 9th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
5. October 2009 – September 2010, B-1 Instructor Pilot, Scheduling Assistant Flight Commander, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
6. September 2010 – February 2012, B-1 Evaluator Pilot, Standardization and Evaluations Flight Commander, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
7. Feb 2012 – November 2012, Assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, B-1 Instructor Pilot, 28th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
8. November 2012 – January 2014, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, B-1 Instructor Pilot, 9th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
9. January 2014 – July 2014, Assistant Director of Operations, B-1 Instructor Pilot, 9th Bomb Squadron, Dyess AFB, Texas
10. July 2014 – July 2015, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
11. July 2015 – July 2017, Joint Mission Training Officer, Strike Advisor, USSTRATCOM J741, Offutt AFB, Nebraska
12. July 2017 – March 2019, Director of Operations, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
13. March 2019 – February 2020, Deputy Commander, 28th Operations Group, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
14. February 2020 – February 2022, Commander, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
15. February 2022 – April 2022, Deputy Commander, 28th Operations Group, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
16. April 2022 – May 2022, Acting Commander, 28th Operations Group, Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
17. May 2022 – June 2023, Senior Executive Officer to the Commander AFGSC, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
18. Jun 2023 – June 2024, Student U.S. Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island
19. Jun 2024 – May 2025, Chief, Inspections Division AFGSC, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana
20. Jun 2024 – Present, Deputy Commander, 5th Bomb Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2015 – July 2017, Joint Mission Training Officer, Strike Advisor, USSTRATCOM J741, Offutt AFB, Nebraska, as a major
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 3500
Combat hours: 1793
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38, F-16, and B-1B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters
Air Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Distinguished Graduate, United States Air Force Academy
2006 Distinguished Graduate, B-1 Initial Qualification Course
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 2003
First Lieutenant May 28, 2005
Captain May 28, 2007
Major May 1, 2013
Lieutenant Colonel February 1, 2018
Colonel June 1, 2024
(Current as of June 2025)