Colonel Sean Klimek

headshot of Colonel Sean P. Klimek

Commander
Administration - AFROTC

SDSU

Building/Location

Exercise and Nutritional Science - 385

Bio

Colonel Sean P. Klimek is the Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 075, San Diego State University, California.  He is responsible for recruiting, educating, training, motivating, selecting, and commissioning officer candidates through a comprehensive college program.  Colonel Klimek provides academic instruction on Air Force history, doctrine, and leadership as he prepares future officers for active duty service.

Colonel Klimek received his commission through the Air Force’s Officer Training School in November 1999. Since earning his navigator wings in 2001, he has served in numerous roles in both Air Mobility Command and Air Education and Training Command. Additionally, Colonel Klimek commanded Stars and Stripes Europe and Expeditionary, Office of Secretary of Defense, Kaiserslautern, Germany, where he led a DoD joint unit that provided a First Amendment-protected daily newspaper and multi-media information to US military personnel, DoD civilians, and family members in 16 countries in the EUCOM, CENTCOM, and AFRICOM areas of responsibility. Colonel Klimek is a senior navigator with over 1,700 flying hours in C-130E/H and T-43A aircraft and has more than 400 combat flying hours in support of Operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Klimek was a professor of Strategy and Security Studies at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.

Flight Information

  • Rating: Senior Navigator
  • Flight Hours: More than 1,700
  • Aircraft Flown: C-130E/H, T-43A

Education

  • 1998 Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, Penn State, University Park, PA
  • 2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 2008 Master of Arts in International Relations, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX
  • 2008 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC), by correspondence
  • 2012 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, ACSC, Maxwell AFB, AL
  • 2015 Doctor of Philosophy in History, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
  • 2016 Air War College, by correspondence

Awards & Honors

  • Defense Meritorious Service Medal
  • Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak-Leaf Clusters
  • Air Medal with two Oak-Leaf Clusters
  • Aerial Achievement Medal
  • Air and Space Commendation Medal with one Oak-Leaf Cluster
  • Air and Space Achievement Medal with one Oak-Leaf Cluster

Service

  1. November 1999 – September 2001, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training,
    Randolph AFB, TX, and C-130 Navigator Initial Qualification Training, Little Rock AFB, AR
  2. October 2001 – September 2004, C-130H Navigator and Squadron/Central Scheduler, 40th
    Airlift Squadron, Dyess AFB, TX
  3. October 2004 – September 2005, C-130H Instructor Navigator and Group Tactician, 317th Operations Support Squadron, Dyess AFB, TX
  4. October 2005 – October 2006, C-130H Instructor Navigator and Assistant Flight Commander,40th Airlift Squadron, Dyess AFB, TX
  5. November 2006 – March 2009, T-43A Instructor Navigator, Flight Commander and Executive Officer, 562nd Flying Training Squadron, Randolph AFB, TX
  6. April 2009 – May 2010, T-43A Evaluator Navigator, Chief of Wing Inspections, and Wing Commander’s Action Group, 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph AFB, TX
  7. June 2010 – July 2011, Executive Officer to the Commanding General of Air Force Recruiting Service, Randolph AFB, TX
  8. August 2011 – July 2012, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
  9. August 2012 – May 2015, PhD Student, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
  10. June 2015 – December 2016, Academic Instructor and Airpower II Course Director, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
  11. January 2017 – May 2017, Director of Operations, 38th Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, AL
  12. June 2017 – June 2018, Commander, 38th Student Squadron, Maxwell AFB, AL
  13. July 2018 – May 2020, Commander, Stars and Stripes Europe and Expeditionary, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Kaiserslautern, Germany
  14. June 2020 – July 2022, Professor of Strategy and Security Studies, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
  15. August 2022 – Present, Commander, AFROTC Det. 075, San Diego State University, CA

Effective Dates of Promotion

  • Second Lieutenant, 19 November 1999
  • First Lieutenant, 19 November 2001
  • Captain, 19 November 2003
  • Major, 1 August 2009
  • Lieutenant Colonel, 1 January 2015
  • Colonel, 1 December 2020

(Current as of August 2022)