Thomas Joseph "Tom" Masiello is a retired United States Air Force Major General who served as the eighth commander of the US Air Force Research Laboratory. He is a member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.
Career Masiello was commissioned in 1981 as a distinguished graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. A command pilot, he has logged more than 3,300 flying hours in more than 20 different aircraft. He has served as an experimental test pilot and test squadron commander conducting developmental flight tests on a wide variety of weapon systems. He has been Director of the Munitions Directorate at the Air Force Research Laboratory, Wing Commander of a classified unit, and the Command Inspector General for Air Force Materiel Command.
Masiello has held other operational and staff assignments, including a tour as Deputy Chief of Staff, United States Central Command, where he spent the bulk of his tour at CENTCOM's Forward Headquarters in Southwest Asia; and Deputy Director for Operations — Operations Team Two, National Military Command Center, Joint Staff, The Pentagon, Washington, D.C. He has served as Deputy Director, Strategic Effects, U.S. Forces - Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Plans, Programs and Operations, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State.
Major General Thomas Masiello is married to Wendy Lee Motlong Masiello, who is an Air Force Lieutenant General. The couple has two sons, who are also in the Air Force.
Education 1981 Distinguished graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado 1986 Distinguished graduate, Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada 1987 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama 1990 Distinguished graduate, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, California 1990 Master of Science degree in aeronautical science, Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University 1991 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama 1995 Advanced Program Management Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Virginia 1999 Distinguished graduate, master's degree in national resource strategy, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 2005 General Management Program, Harvard Business School, Cambridge, Massachusetts 2007 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
Assignments June 1981 - May 1982, student, undergraduate pilot training, Williams Air Force Base, Arizona April 1983 - September 1987, F-111F instructor pilot; Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 492d Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England October 1987 - December 1989, F-111 operational test and evaluation instructor pilot, 431st Test and Evaluation Squadron, McClellan Air Force Base, California January 1990 - September 1990, student, USAF Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, California October 1990 - July 1993, F-15A, F-15E and F-111 experimental test pilot, 3247th Test Squadron, and Flight Commander, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida August 1993 - June 1994, student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama July 1994 - August 1996, F-16 program element monitor, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. September 1996 - July 1998, operations officer and F-16 experimental test pilot, 39th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida August 1998 - June 1999, student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C. July 1999 - June 2000, commander, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida July 2000 - May 2002, commander, Eglin Research Site, and Director, Munitions Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida May 2002 - March 2004, Wing Commander, classified unit March 2004 - July 2005, Command Inspector General, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio July 2005 - June 2007, Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida (October 2005 - March 2006 and October 2006 - December 2006, Forward Headquarters, USCENTCOM, Southwest Asia) June 2007 - January 2009, Deputy Director for Operations — Operations Team Two (J3), National Military Command Center, Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. January 2009 - January 2010, Deputy Director, Strategic Effects (CJ9), U.S. Forces-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq March 2010 - April 2011, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Plans, Programs and Operations, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, D.C. May 2011 – July 2013, Director of Special Programs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C. August 2013 - May 2016, commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
Flight information Rating: Command pilot Flight hours: 3,300 Aircraft flown: More than 20 different types including the F-15, F-15E, F-16, F-111, C-12 and HH-60
Awards and decorations U.S. Air Force Command Pilot BadgeHeadquarters Air Force BadgeJoint Chiefs of Staff BadgeOffice of the Secretary of Defense Identification Badge Defense Superior Service Medal with bronze oak leaf clusterLegion of Merit with bronze oak leaf clusterBronze Star MedalMeritorious Service Medal with three bronze oak leaf clustersAerial Achievement Medal with three bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf clusterJoint Meritorious Unit AwardAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with three bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Organizational Excellence Award with two bronze oak leaf clustersNavy Meritorious Unit CommendationCombat Readiness MedalNational Defense Service Medal with bronze service starIraq Campaign Medal with bronze campaign starGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalAir Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon with two bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Overseas Long Tour Service RibbonAir Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frameAir Force Longevity Service Award with silver and two bronze oak leaf clustersSmall Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with bronze service starAir Force Training Ribbon
Effective dates of promotion + Promotions Insignia Rank DateMajor GeneralJune 3, 2011Brigadier GeneralAugust 3, 2007ColonelApril 1, 2001Lieutenant ColonelJanuary 1, 1997MajorSeptember 1, 1993CaptainMay 27, 1985First LieutenantMay 27, 1983Second LieutenantMay 27, 1981
References