Lieutenant Colonel Aaron Blackburn

Aaron Blackburn in uniform and standing in front of the American flag

Lieutenant Colonel Aaron M. Blackburn is the Assistant Professor of the Air Force Reserved Officer Training Corps, Detachment 040, Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California. He is responsible for recruiting, educating, and inspiring cadets at LMU and surrounding “cross-town” colleges, and then sourcing the Department of the Air Force with its next generation of high caliber officers.

Lt. Col Blackburn was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant after completing Reserve Officer Training Corps and graduating from the University of South Alabama in 2008. Upon completion Air and Space Basic course at Maxwell AFB, he attended technical school training at Keesler AFB where he completed the inaugural Force Support Officer Course and was assigned to the 37th Training Group at Lackland AFB. He served as chief of education and training and a flight commander while assigned to Tinker AFB where he earned his master’s degree in 2013. At Shaw AFB, he served in numerous positions throughout the 20 FSS and AFCENT A1. He worked in three separate commands alongside sister services while at the Republic of Korea. He was the Chief of Current Operations (CUOPS) and Chief of the Air Force Element for United Nations Command (UNC), Combined Fighting Command (CFC), & United States Forces Korea (USFK). He served outside his careerfield as Interim commander for the 97th Logistics Squadron and Director of Operations for both the 97th Force Support and Communications Squadron. He served as the executive officer at LOSA MEPS, which is the largest MEPS across the DoD Enterprise where they process applicants seeking to enter anyone of the six service components. He returned to the USFK staff in Korea where he developed quality of life programs for more than 60,000 service members and their families. Currently, he serves as an associate professor, Education & Recruiting officer at AFROTC where he develops future lieutenants for military service.

Education

2005 Associate of Arts Degree in General Studies (History), Bishop State Community College, Mobile, AL (Residence)
2008 Bachelor of Arts Degree (U.S. History), University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL (Residence)
2008 Air and Space Basic Course (ASBC), Maxwell AFB, AL (Residence)
2008 Force Support Officer Course (FSOC), Keesler AFB, MS (Residence)
2010 Deliberate Crises Action Planning Execution System (DCAPES), Keesler AFB, MS (Residence)
2011 Instructional Systems Development (ISD), Dyess AFB, TX (Residence)
2013 Squadron Officer School (SOS), Maxwell AFB, AL (Residence)
2013 Civilian Personnel Management Course (CPMC), Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC), Randolph AFB, TX (By-Correspondence)
2013 Master of Arts Degree (Ancient and Classical History), American Military University (By-Correspondence), Charles Town, WV
2017 AF Continuous Process Improvement Green Belt Training, Shaw AFB, SC (Residence)
2017 Intermediate Personnel Officer Course (IPOC), Maxwell AFB, AL (Residence)
2019 Force Support Operational Leadership Course, Maxwell AFB, AL (Residence)
2019 Mortuary Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL (Residence)
2020 Air Command Staff College/Joint Professional Military Education (JPME 1), Air University (AU), Maxwell AFB, AL (By-Correspondence)
2020 Cyber Operations Fundamental Course (COFC), Ft Meade, MD (By-Correspondence)
2021 Joint and Combined Warfare School (JCWS)/Joint Professional Military Education (JPME II), Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA/National Defense University (NDU), Fort Lesley McNair, ‎Washington, DC (By-Correspondence)
2024 Detachment Cadre Instructor Course (DCIC), Holm Center, Maxwell AFB, AL (Residence)

Assignments

Aug 2008-Feb 2010, Executive Officer, 37th Technical Training Group, Lackland AFB, TX
Feb-Apr 2010, Deputy Flight Chief, Manpower & Personnel Flt, 802d Force Support Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, TX
Apr-Nov 2010, Chief of Security Hill Personnel Center, 802d Force Support Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, TX
Nov 2010-Feb 2011, Deputy Flight Chief, Force Development Flight, 802d Force Support Squadron, JBSA-Lackland, TX
Feb 2011-Mar 2013, Chief of Education and Training, Det 6, ACC/TRSS, Tinker AFB, OK
Mar 2013-Feb 2014, Flight Commander A-Flight, 5th Manpower Requirements Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK
Feb 2014-Apr 2015, OIC Squadron Functions, 5th Manpower Requirements Squadron, Tinker AFB, OK
Apr 2015-Jan 2016, Deputy Flight Chief, Sustainment Services, 20th Force Support Squadron, Shaw AFB, SC
Jan-Aug 2016, Chief, Personnel Operations, AFCENT A1, Shaw AFB, SC
Aug 2016-Nov 2017, Manpower Officer/Facility Manager, 20th Force Support Squadron, Shaw AFB, SC
Nov 2017-Jun 2018, Section Commander, 20th Force Support Squadron, Shaw AFB, SC
Jun-Sep 2018, Chief, Current Operations, UNC/CFC/USFK J1, Yongsan AIN/USAG Humphreys, ROK
Sep 2018-Jun 2019, Chief, AF Element, UNC/CFC/USFK J1, Yongsan AIN/USAG Humphreys, ROK
Jun 2019-Apr 2020, Operations Officer, 97th Force Support Squadron, Altus AFB, OK
Apr 2020-May 2021, Director of Operations, 97th Communications Squadron, Altus AFB, OK
(Deployed) Jun-Jul 2020, Prince Sultan Air Base, KSA/Jul-Oct 2020 deployed to Al-Udeid AB, Qatar
May 2021-Aug 2023, Executive Officer (Deputy Commander), Los Angeles Military Entrance Processing Site, EL Segundo, CA
Aug 2023-Aug 2024, Chief of Strategic Policy and Programs, UNC/CFC/USFK J1, USAG Humphreys, ROK
Aug 2024-Current, Associate Professor of Aerospace Studies, Air Force ROTC Detachment 040, Loyola Marymount University, CA

Major Awards and Decorations

Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
AF Organizational Excellence Award
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
AF Overseas Ribbon (Short) with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
AF Longevity Service with 3 oak leaf clusters
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with star cluster
AF Training Ribbon

Other Achievements

2018 Force Support Field Grade Officer of the Year, United States Indonesian Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM)
2023 Lance P. Sijan Field Grade Officer of the Year, United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM)
2023 Force Support Field Grade Officer of the Year, United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM)

Effective Dates of Promotion

Second Lieutenant: 28 May, 2008
First Lieutenant: 28 May, 2010
Captain: 28 May, 2012
Major: 01 Sep, 2018
Lieutenant Colonel: 01 Jun, 2025