Lt Col Paul “Blue” Tucker is Commander of the 535th Airlift Squadron (AS), Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI. He commands 107 personnel who employ 9 C-17A Globemaster III aircraft conducting world-wide airlift, airdrop, and aeromedical evacuation operations supporting National Security and Department of Defense directives.
Lt Col Paul Tucker graduated from the University of Virginia in 2005, earning a commission in the U.S. Air Force through ROTC. During his career, Lt Col Tucker has served as a C-17 Lead Airdrop Aircraft Commander,Instructor,and Evaluator Pilot as well as a Squadron Weapons Officer, Operations Controller, Flight Commander, and Squadron Executive Officer. Lt Col Tucker was a Distinguished Graduate of the US Air Force Weapons School at Nellis AFB, where he later served as an instructor and Director of Staff. A Senior Pilot with more than 2,400 flying hours, Lt Col Tucker has flown 330 combat sorties totaling over 900 hours in Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. Prior to his current position, Lt Col Tucker was the 535th AS Director of Operations and a Strategic Planner for USINDOPACOM J5. Lt Col Tucker is married to the former Lauren York of Columbus, Mississippi, and they have five sons: Jonathon, Nolan, Micah, Bennett, and Eli.
EDUCATION
2005 Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2010 Master of Arts in Christian Leadership, Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, VA
2013 United States Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis Air Force Base, NV
2016 Executive Leadership Development Course, Washington D.C.
2017 Command and General Staff College, Strategic Studies Track, Ft Leavenworth, KS
2018 Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL.
ASSIGNMENTS
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- January 2005 – October 2005, Standardization/Evaluation Officer, 1st Operations Group, Langley AFB, VA
- November 2005 – April 2007, Student Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, MS
- May 2007 – May 2011, C-17A Instructor Pilot, 14th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Charleston, SC
- June 2011 – July 2014, Chief Pilot, C-17A Weapons Officer, 7th Airlift Squadron, JBLM, WA
- July 2014 – June 2016, Director of Staff / C-17 Weapons Instructor, 57th Weapons Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ
- June 2016 – June 2017, Student, US Army Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, KS
- July 2017 – June 2018, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
- July 2018 – June 2020, Strategic Planner, USINDOPACOM/J5, Camp H.M. Smith, HI
- July 2020 – May 2021, Director of Operations, 535th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
- June 2021 – present, Commander, 535th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
- July 2018 – June 2020, Strategic Planner, USINDOPACOM/J5, Camp H.M. Smith, HI
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight hours: Over 2,700
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-1, C-17A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (One Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Medal (Four Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal (One Oak Leaf Cluster)
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award (Two Oak Leaf Clusters)
AF Outstanding Unit Award (Four Oak Leaf Clusters)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 13, 2005
First Lieutenant January 13, 2007
Captain January 13, 2009
Major June 1, 2015
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2019