Colonel Antonio Alvarado is the Commander of the 354th Mission Support Group, 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. He leads six squadrons charged to enable to provide combat capacity, capability and mission-ready forces in direct support of U.S. national interests worldwide, to include RED FLAG-Alaska, Pacific Air Forces’ premier multinational large-force training exercise, as well as the future beddown of two F-35. His team delivers robust services, base infrastructure support and world-class quality of life programs for the 11,000-strong Eielson “Iceman” community within Alaska’s interior, keeping the base “Ready to Go at 50 Below!”
Col Alvarado was commissioned in 1997 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Arizona. He began his Air Battle Management (ABM) career in the 621st Air Control Squadron as an Instructor Weapons Director and Senior Director (SD) at Osan AFB, South Korea. He then served as an E-8C Joint Stars evaluator SD and Chief of Tactics at the 93rd Training Squadron and 128th Air Command Control Squadron at Robins AFB, Ga. Col Alvarado was next assigned to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma as the 963rd Airborne Air Control Squadron (AACS) Chief of Tactics and an E-3B/C evaluator SD. He was next assigned to the United States Air Force Weapons School (USAFWS) at Nellis AFB to serve as an 8th Weapons Squadron (WPS) ABM Instructor, Flight Commander, Assistant Director of Operations, then finally Director of Operations (DO). He followed this assignment by attending the Command and Staff General College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. Post-graduation, he reported to Air Component Izmir, Turkey, to assume the role of A3 Chief of Offensive Air Operations, NATO C2 TAC EVAL evaluator, and culminated as interim Aide de Camp. After this assignment Col Alvarado returned to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma in 2012 as Chief of Wing Tactics, acting Operations Support Squadron (OSS) DO then the 964th AACS DO. After this, he proudly served as Commander for the 963rd AACS “World Famous Blue Knights.” He completed his Tinker tour as Deputy Operations Group Commander for the 552 Operations Group. He then departed Tinker for Langley AFB, VA to serve as the Deputy Division Chief for the Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C2ISR) branch within the A-3 Directorate at Air Combat Command (ACC). Col Alvarado followed this assignment by attending the Advanced Strategic Leadership Studies Program (ASLSP) fellowship in the school of School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) at Fort Leavenworth, KS, in May 2019. He remained at Fort Leavenworth, serving as the Air Force Element Commander at the Command and General Staff College/SAMS where he and his staff was charged to instruct CGSC and SAMS students. Col Alvarado is a master ABM with more than 2100 flying hours in both the E-8C and E-3 B/C/G. He has served in numerous counter-narcotics operations and contingencies including Operations NOBLE EAGLE, ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and UNIFIED PROTECTOR.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice, University of Arizona
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL (Top Third graduate)
2005 Masters of Science, Aviation Administration, Southeast Oklahoma St, OK 2007 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence
2010 Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS (Top Third graduate) 2012 Air War College by correspondence
2019 ASLSP fellowship
ASSIGNMENTS
- October 1997 – July 1998, Student, Undergraduate ABM Training, 325th Air Control Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
- July 1998 – July 1999, SD, Instructor Weapons Director, 621st Air Control Squadron, Osan South Korea
- July 1999 – December 2003, E-8C Instructor/Evaluator AWO/SMO/SD, Chief of Tactics, 12th Air Command Control Squadron, 93rd Training Squadron, 330th Combat Training Squadron, 128th ACCS, Robins AFB, GA
- June 2002 – December 2002, Student, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, NV
- December 2003 – December 2006, E-3B/C Evaluator SD, Chief of Tactics, 963rd AACS, Tinker AFB, OK
- December 2006 – June 2010, ABM Instructor, Flight/CC, ADO, DO, 8th WPS, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, NV
- June 2010 – July 2011, Student, CGSC, Fort. Leavenworth, Kan.
- July 2011 – July 2012, Chief of Offensive Air Ops, NATO TAC EVAL evaluator, Aide de Camp, AC Izmir, Turkey
- July 2012 – March 2013, Chief of Wing Tactics, DO (acting), 552nd OSS, Tinker AFB, OK
- March 2013 – March 2014, DO, E-3B/C Evaluator, Mission Crew Commander, 964th AACS, Tinker AFB, OK
- March 2014 – March 2016, Commander, 963rd AACS, Tinker AFB, OK
- March 2016 – June 2016, Deputy Operations Group Commander, 552 Operations Group, Tinker AFB, OK
- June 2016 – July 2018, Deputy Chief, C2ISR Division (A3C), Langley AFB, VA
- July 2018 – May 2019, Student, ASLSP Fellowship, SAMS, Fort Leavenworth, KS
- July 2019 – July 2022, Commander, Air Force Element, CGSC/SAMS, Fort Leavenworth, KS
- July 2022 – Present, Commander, 354th Mission Support Group, Eielson AFB, AK
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Air Battle Manager
Flight hours: More than 2,100 total hours, 600+ instructor/evaluator hours Aircraft flown: E-8C, E-3B/C/G
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters Air Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster Air Force Achievement Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 17, 1997
First Lieutenant May 28, 1999
Captain May 28, 2001
Major Feb. 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2010
Colonel Oct 1, 2018
(Current as of July 2022)