BRIGADIER GENERAL THOMAS A. PERARO

Brigadier General Thomas A. Peraro is the Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, J3 for the United States Forces Korea. His mission is the Joint Operations portion of directing and coordinating wartime activities for all United States Service Components stationed in South Korea.

General Peraro was commissioned a Second Lieutenant upon graduation in 1976 from the United States Air Force Academy. General Peraro is a current member of the Air National Guard, and has been a member of the 140th Fighter Wing, Colorado Air National Guard since 1985. He joined the unit in 1985 and flew the A-7 aircraft until 1991. He transitioned to the F-16C and flew it until November 1998. He then joined the State Headquarters of the Colorado Air National Guard as the State Plans and Programs Officer, and later became the Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff. His former position was as the Joint Operations J3 for the State of Colorado with the direct mission of Homeland Security for the entire State of Colorado. General Peraro has had two combat tours into Iraq and has flown combat missions in the F-16C aircraft in support of Operation Northern Watch and Operation Southern Watch. He earned the Aerial Achievement Medal and the Air Medal from his combat experiences. He has more than 4500 military flight hours and is a Command Pilot. He has also flown the T-37 and T-38 aircraft, and has more than 2800 hours as an Instructor Pilot in the T-38.

EDUCATION:

1976 United States Air Force Academy, Bachelor of Science, Management and Economics, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado
1984 Texas Tech University, Master of Business Administration, Lubbock, Texas
1997 Air War College, by correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. August 1976 - April 1978, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 64th Student Squadron, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
2. April 1978 - February 1980, Instructor Pilot, T-38, 54th Training Squadron, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
3. February 1980 - May 1980, Check Pilot, T-38, 54th Training Squadron, Reese Air Force Base, Texas
4. May 1980 - December 1981, Assistant Detachment Commander Flight Examiner, 64th Flying Training Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
5. December 1981 - October 1983, Commander, T-38, 64th Flying Training Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
6. October 1983 - May 1984, Flight Training Instructor, T-38, 64th Flying Training Wing, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota
7. May 1984 - February 1985, Pilot Trainee, A-7, 8114 Student Flight, Joe Foss Field, South Dakota
8. February 1985 - October 1985, Pilot, A-7, 175th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Joe Foss Field, South Dakota
9. October 1985 - June 1990, Pilot, A-7, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado
10. June 1990 - September 1993, Assistant Flight Commander, F-16, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado
11. September 1993 - April 1995, Weapons Officer, 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Buckley Air National Guard Bureau, Colorado
12. April 1995 - August 1998, Chief, Standardization Evaluation, 140th Fighter Wing, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado
13. August 1998 - February 1999, Commander, 140th Operation Support Flight, 140th Fighter Wing, Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado
14. February 1999 - October 2000, Plans and Programs Officer, Headquarters Colorado Air National Guard, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado
15. October 2000 - October 2003, Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Colorado Air National Guard, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado
16. October 2003 - July 2005, J3-J5 Director, Joint Force Headquarters - Colorado, Air National Guard, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado
17. July 2005 - Present, Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff, J3, United States Forces Korea

FLIGHT INFORMATION:

Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 4,500
Aircraft Flown: A-7, F-16, T-37, T-38
Pilot wings from: Reese Air Force Base, Texas

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Combat Readiness Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Stars)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Air Force Longevity Service (with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Star)
Air Force Training Ribbon
Colorado Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Colorado State Commendation Ribbon
Colorado State Achievement Ribbon
Colorado State Adjutant General's Unit Citation Ribbon
Colorado State Active Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Colorado State Emergency Service Medal
Colorado State Long Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Star)
Colorado State Foreign Deployment Service Ribbon (with 4 Bronze Stars)

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

Airbus 320, Captain, United Airlines, Denver International Airport

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:

Second Lieutenant 2 June 1976
First Lieutenant 2 June 1978
Captain 2 June 1980
Major 2 June 1990
Lieutenant Colonel 7 April 1995
Colonel 29 June 2001
Brigadier General 2 August 2005

(Current as of November 2007)