Lieutenant Colonel Mike Fazio leads teams of Airmen who deploy globally to perform Special Operations missions. He plans, executes, and debriefs sensitive operations with various government agencies, Geographic Combatant Commands, and foreign Special Operations Forces with focus areas in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Indo-Pacific. He graduated from Boston University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program and commissioned as a Special Tactics Officer in 2004. Since then, he’s effectively leveraged the breadth of Air Force capabilities to solve problems of national significance.
His experience the past 15 years includes synchronizing ground and airpower in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Yemen. As a Joint Terminal Attack Controller in Afghanistan and Iraq, he integrated with US Army Special Forces and US Navy SEAL teams to train foreign armies and direct air power during offensive operations against the Taliban and Al Qaeda. In Yemen, he supervised a Joint Force of 50 people to locate and remove terrorists from the battlefield. In Somalia he played a critical role during the rescue of American and Danish citizens. After completion of a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University, he worked as a strategist on the Air Force Staff at the Pentagon and now proudly leads a USAF Special Tactics Squadron. He’s a certified air traffic controller, SCUBA diver, C-licensed parachutist, avid learner, and staunch Yankees fan. While proud of his military service, the most rewarding thing in his life is being husband to his wife Julia, the finest intel analyst in the FBI, and father to his “tiny but mighty” son Finnegan.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering, Boston University, MA
2010 Squadron Officer School (Residence), Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2012 Masters of Military Operational Studies, Air University, AL
2013 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence), Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
2017 Masters in Public Policy, Johns Hopkins University, Washington DC
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jul 2004-Mar 2007, Special Tactics Training Pipeline, various TDY locations
2. Mar 2007-Jul 2009, Asst Flt Commander, 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
3. Jul 2009-Jun 2012, Flight Commander, 24th Special Tactics Squadron, Pope AFB, NC
4. Jul 2012-Oct 2013, Aide de Camp, Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, NC
5. Nov 2013-Oct 2014, Future Plans, 724th Operational Support Squadron, Pope Air Field, NC
6. Nov 2014-July 2016, DATA MASKED
7. Aug 2016-July 2017, Air Force Fellows Office, Maxwell AFB, AL
8. Aug 2017-July 2019, Headquarters Air Force Operations Staff, Pentagon, VA
9. Aug 2019-Present, Commander, 21st Special Tactics Squadron, Pope Air Field, NC
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal (two oak leaf clusters)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal (one oak leaf cluster)
Air Force Commendation Medal (two oak leaf clusters)
Air Force Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 2004
First Lieutenant Jul 2006
Captain Jul 2008
Major Dec 2014
Lieutenant Colonel Oct 2018