Lt. Col. Nicholas Cooper

Lt Col Nicholas Cooper

Commander
Air Force ROTC
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts

SDSU

Email

Primary Email: [email protected]

Bio

Lt Col Nicholas A. Cooper is the Commander of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 075 and Professor of Aerospace Studies, San Diego State University, San Diego, California. In this position, he leads a team of seven Airmen to recruit, educate, train, and evaluate prospective officer candidates for commissioned service in the U.S. Air Force and Space Force through academic instruction on Air Force organization, history, leadership, doctrine, and communications skills with an emphasis on physical fitness and professionalism.

Lt Col Cooper entered the U.S. Air Force in May 2009 after commissioning from the Virginia Military Institute and has served seventeen years on active duty. Prior to his current position, he served as an Instructor and Director of Staff at AFROTC Det 880, Virginia Military Institute, in Lexington, Virginia.

Effective Dates of Promotion

  • Second Lieutenant May 27, 2009
  • First Lieutenant May 27, 2011
  • Captain May 27, 2013
  • Major March 1, 2019
  • Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2024

Education

  • 2009, Bachelor of Arts in History, Virginia Military Institute,
    Lexington, VA.
  • 2009 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL.
  • 2009 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB,
    MS.
  • 2015 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL.
  • 2026 Master of Arts in Executive Leadership, Liberty University, VA.
  • 2022 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL.

Awards & Honors

  • Defense Meritorious Service Medal
  • Meritorious Service Medal
  • Joint Service Commendation Medal
  • Air Force Commendation Medal
  • Joint Service Achievement Medal
  • Air Force Achievement Medal
  • National Defense Service Medal
  • Iraq Campaign Medal
  • Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
  • Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
  • Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal

Assignments

  1. Jul 2009 – Jun 2011, Flight Operations Officer, 53rd Combat Communications Squadron, Robins AFB, GA.
  2. Jun 2011 – Jul 2012, Flight Commander, Combat Airfield Systems, 53rd Combat Communications Squadron, Robins AFB, GA.
  3. Jul 2012 – May 2014, Joint Intelligence Operations Center Technical Integration Chief, Defense Intelligence Agency, Bolling AFB, D.C.
  4. May 2014 – Jul 2015, Executive Officer, Defense Intelligence Agency, Bolling AFB, D.C.
  5. Jul 2015 – May 2016, Flight Commander, 338 Training Squadron, Keesler AFB, MS.
  6. May 2016 – Aug 2017, Executive Officer, 81st Training Group, Keesler AFB, MS.
  7. Aug 2017 – Jul 2019, Director of Operations, 338 Training Squadron, Keesler AFB, MS.
  8. Jul 2019 – Jul 2020, Director of Operations, 39th Communications Squadron, Incirlik AB, Turkey.
  9. Jul 2020 – Jul 2023, Branch Chief, Strategic Planning and Engagement, J6, HQ USSOCOM, MacDill AFB, FL.
  10. Jul 2023 – Jun 2026, Director of Staff, AFROTC Det 880, Virginia Military Institute, Virginia.
  11. Jun 2026 – present, Commander, AFROTC Det 075, San Diego State University, California.