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Colonel Bryan B. Tuinman

Col. Bryan B. Tuinman is the Commandant, Inter-American Air Forces Academy (IAAFA), Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. In this position, he is responsible for promoting security cooperation by providing military education and training, in Spanish, for more than 900 students annually to eligible military forces and governmental partners from 24 Latin American and Caribbean countries. The 32 courses offered span a range of technical training, professional military education, and aircrew topics.

Col. Tuinman commissioned from the U.S. Air Force’s Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, in September 2002. He completed initial pilot training in January 2005 and has served over the last 22 years in various roles as an instructor pilot, evaluator pilot and combat aviation advisor. Prior to his current assignment, Col. Tuinman was the Director, Resourcing (SOJ8), Special Operations Command - Pacific (SOCPAC), Camp Smith, Hawaii.

Col. Tuinman is a command pilot with more than 2,700 flying hours, including 220 combat hours, and has deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and OBSERVANT COMPASS.

EDUCATION

1996 Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada

2003 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala

2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala

2010 Master of Arts in Unconventional Warfare, American University, Virginia

2016 Air Command and Staff College (in residence), Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala

2016 Master of Arts in Operational Science, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala

2021 Air War College (in correspondence)

2021 JPME II, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va

ASSIGNMENTS

  1. September 2002 – August 2003, Deputy Budget Officer, 347th Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Ga
  2. August 2003 – July 2004, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 37th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Miss
  3. July 2004 – January 2005, Student, helicopter Undergraduate Pilot Training, 23rd Flying Training Squadron, Fort Rucker, Ala
  4. January 2005 – June 2005, Student, UH-1N Initial Mission Qualification, 512th Rescue Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
  5. June 2005 – June 2010, culminating as UH-1N Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 37th Helicopter Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo (May 2009 – May 2010, Mi-17 Evaluator Pilot, Combat Aviation Advisor, 721st Air Expeditionary Advisor Squadron, Taji Air Base, Iraq)
  6. July 2010 – December 2013, Mi-17 Instructor Pilot, Combat Aviation Advisor, PACOM Flight Commander, 6th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt AFB, Fla
  7. January 2014 – July 2015, Deputy Chief, Helicopter Operations Branch, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, La
  8. July 2015 – July 2016, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala
  9. August 2016 – June 2018, UH-1N Evaluator Pilot, Director of Operations, 54th Helicopter Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
  10. June 2018 – July 2020, Commander, 40th Helicopter Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont
  11. July 2020 – March 2023, Director, Programming and Requirements, Special Operations Command Pacific, Camp Smith, Hawaii
  12. March 2023 – August 2023, Director, Resourcing, Special Operations Command Pacific, Camp Smith, Hawaii
  13. August 2023 – Present, Commandant, Inter-American Air Forces Academy, JBSA-Lackland, Texas

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

  1. July 2020 – March 2023, Director, Programming and Requirements, Special Operations Command Pacific, Camp Smith, Hawaii, as a Lieutenant Colonel
  2. March 2023 – August 2023, Director, Resourcing, Special Operations Command Pacific, Camp Smith, Hawaii, as a Lieutenant Colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating:  Command Pilot

Flight hours:  more than 2700 hours, including 220 combat hours

Aircraft flown:  T-37, UH-1H, UH-1N, Mi-8/17/171 and C-145A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters

Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Air and Space Commendation Medal

Air and Space Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Humanitarian Service Medal

Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant September 27, 2002

First Lieutenant September 27, 2004

Captain September 27, 2008

Major July 1, 2012

Lieutenant Colonel September 1, 2017

Colonel August 1, 2023

(Current as of May 2024)