Colonel Thomas E. Hayes is the Deputy Commander of the 388th Fighter Wing, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The wing's mission is to "Deliver F-35 dominance...anytime, anywhere." The wing maintains combat readiness to deploy, employ, and sustain F-35s worldwide, in order to fly, fight and win any conflict. Col. Hayes is responsible for the readiness, training, morale, and welfare of more than 2,000 personnel who maintain and operate F-35A aircraft across ten squadrons. Additionally, he provides operational oversight and direction for nearly 450 reserve maintainers and operators in the 419th Fighter Wing. He is also responsible for the Utah Test and Training Range, a 3.2-million-acre jewel in Utah’s west desert that provides operational test and evaluation of weapons requiring a large safety footprint.
Colonel Hayes entered the Air Force in 2004 after receiving his commission from Officer Training School at Maxwell AFB, Ala. He commanded the 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz. where he was responsible for planning, executing, and supervising every aspect of flight and ground training operations for United States and Partner Air Forces instructor and student pilots. Colonel Hayes held various staff and operational positions, to include serving as the NORAD & USNORTHCOM Deputy Inspector General and Future Operations Division Chief. He has flown as a test pilot, evaluator pilot, instructor pilot, and weapons officer in the F-35A Lightning II and F-16 C/D Fighting Falcon. He is a graduate of the National War College, the Naval War College, and a command pilot with over 2,500 flying hours, including more than 390 combat hours. Prior to his current position, Col. Hayes was the Commander, Headquarters, Utah Test and Training Range, Hill AFB, Utah.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Business Administration, Letourneau University, Longview, Texas
2010 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Masters of Business Administration, Touro University, Cypress, Calif., by correspondence
2013 USAF Weapons School, Distinguished Graduate, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2015 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Masters of Strategic Studies, Distinguished Graduate, Naval War College, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
2022 Masters of National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort McNair Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2004 - December 2004, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Moody Air Force Base, Ga.
2. January 2005 - July 2005, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. Jan 2006 - February 2006, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Moody AFB, Ga.
4. March 2006 - January 2007, Student F-16 pilot, 308th Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
5. February 2007 - February 2010, F-16 Pilot, 23rd Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
6. February 2010 - December 2012, F-16 Instructor Pilot, 56th Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
7. January 2013 - June 2013, F-16 Student, 16th Weapons Squadron, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. July 2013 - December 2014, Weapons Instructor Pilot, 35th Fighter Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea
9. December 2014 - June 2017, F-35 Operational Test Pilot, 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
10. July 2017 - June 2018, Student, Naval War College, Naval Station Newport, R.I.
11. July 2018 - May 2019, Director of Operations, 62nd Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
12. May 2019 - June 2021, Commander, 61st Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
13. July 2021 - Jun 2022, Student, National War College, Fort McNair Washington, D.C.
14. June 2022 - May 2023, Deputy Inspector General, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson SFB, Colo.
15. May 2023 - June 2024, Chief, Future Operations Division, Headquarters NORAD, Peterson AFB, Colo.
16. June 2023 - May 2025, Commander, Headquarters, Utah Test and Training Range, Hill AFB, Utah
17. May 2025 - present, Deputy Commander, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,500, including more than 390 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-6, T-38C, F-16C/D, F-35A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Royal Australian Air Force Chief of Air Force Commendation Medal (Gold)
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Korean Defense Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 14, 2004
First Lieutenant May 14, 2006
Captain May 14, 2008
Major April 1, 2014
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 2018
Colonel April 1, 2024
(Current as of May 2025)