Thomas F. Berardinelli is the Director of Staff for the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. He provides executive-level advice and functional expertise to the center commander to ensure effective and efficient operations. He is also responsible for advising and representing the center in all areas of public, community and intergovernmental relations. The AFNWC mission is to be the single Air Force voice for integrating nuclear weapon systems requirements and nuclear weapon system resource management. The center provides nuclear weapon system advocacy and certification; ICBM and cruise missile product management; weapons storage capability; nuclear surety program implementation; nuclear logistics management; test/support equipment management; and nuclear command-and-control communications integration.
Mr. Berardinelli was commissioned in the United States Air Force in 1980 as a distinguished graduate of the Rutgers University Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He completed a distinguished 26-year Air Force career in 2007 as a colonel.
Prior to assuming the AFNWC position, he was the Executive Director and Director of Staff for the 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.
EDUCATION
1980 Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J.
1983 Master of Arts, Management, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.
1984 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1986 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1992 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
1993 Armed Forces Staff College, Joint, Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
1996 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Senior Leader Nuclear Management Course, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. February - October 1981, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Fort Rucker, Ala.
2. November 1981 - March 1982, Student, Combat Rescue and H-3 Qualification Training, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
3. April 1982 - March 1984, CH/HH-3E Co-pilot, Aircraft Commander and Instructor Pilot, Detachment 11, 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing, Myrtle Beach AFB, S.C.
4. March 1984 - March 1986, HH-3E Instructor Pilot and Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, Detachment 14, 67th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland
5. March 1986 - May 1986, Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. May 1986 - May 1991, HH-3E and MH-60G Flight Examiner, Squadron and Wing Executive Officer, and Squadron Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 1551st Flying Training Squadron, 1550th Combat Crew Training Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
7. June 1991 - June 1992, Student, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. July 1992 - June 1995, Special operations Aviation Force Planner, J5, USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, Fla.
9. July 1995 - June 1996, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 1996 - June 1998, Commander, 20th Services Squadron, Shaw AFB, S.C.
11. July 1998 - February 2000, Deputy Commander, 20th Support Group, Shaw AFB, S.C.
12. February - June 2000, Acting Commander, 20th Support Group, Shaw AFB, S.C.
13. June 2000 - June 2001, Deputy Commander, 1st Support Group, Langley AFB, Va.
14. August 2001 - August 2002, Commander, 18th Support Group, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
15. August 2002 - July 2003, Commander, 18th Mission Support Group, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
16. July 2003 - August 2004, Vice Commander, 460th Air Base Wing, Buckley AFB, Colo.
17. August 2004 - July 2005, Vice Commander, Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
18. July 2005 - July 2007, Commander, Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
19. July 2007 - retired from active duty and entered government civilian service
20. August 2007 - April 2012, Executive Director and Director of Staff, 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
21. April 2012 - present, Director of Staff, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with silver oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Civilian Exceptional Service Award
2010 New Mexico Distinguished Public Service Award
2012 New Mexico Federal Executive Board Manager of the Year
2015 Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center Outstanding Service Award
(Current as of March 2020)