Colonel Hardy T. Giles II

Colonel Hardy “Tom” Giles is the Deputy Commander of the 72nd Air Base Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. His responsibilities include leading nearly 3,000 Airmen and overseeing $5 billion in resources and a $311 million operating budget. He provides installation support for over 27,000 personnel assigned to Headquarters, Air Force Sustainment Center, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, 552nd Air Control Wing, Navy Strategic Communications Wing One, 507th Air Refueling Wing, 448th Supply Chain Management Wing, and 45 other units including the Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Information Systems Agency, and 38th Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group. The 72nd ABW enables numerous critical missions at Tinker AFB, the largest single-site employer in Oklahoma.

Giles enlisted in 1989 and commissioned in 2000 through Air Force Officer Training School. He has served in a variety of positions as a personnel officer to include: Military Personnel Flight Commander, Action Officer in the Air Force Colonel’s Group,  Force Support Squadron Commander, Chief of Operations, Selection Board Secretariat, and Chief, Senior Leader Management & Chief, Personnel Division, as well as the Chief, Program Development Division at HQ AF.

EDUCATION

1999 Bachelor of Occupational Education, Wayland Baptist University, Plainview, TX
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 Masters of Religion, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.
2010 Air Command and Staff College, (by correspondence)
2012 Master of Military Studies, USMC Command and Staff College, Quantico, Va.VA (in-residence)
2016 Air War College (by correspondence)

ASSIGNMENTS

1. August 2000 – July 2002, Adjutant, 97th OSS, Altus AFB, Okla.
2. July 2002 – February 2004, Section Commander, 735th CES, Ramstein Air Base, GE
3. February 2004 – July 2005, COMUSAFE Trip Planner, Ramstein Air Base, GE
4. July 2005 – June 2009, MPF Commander, Aviano Air Base, IT
5. June 2009 – June 2010, Chief, 38F Career Field Education/Training (HAF/A1X), Pentagon, DC
6. June 2010 – August 2011, Chief, Colonel Force Management Division, Pentagon, DC
7. August 2011 – June 2012, USMC Command and Staff College, Quantico Marine Base, Va.
8. June 2012 – June 2014, J1 Executive Officer, NORAD/USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo.
9. June 2014 – June 2016, Commander, 39th Force Support Squadron, Incirlik AB, TU
10. June 2016 – May 2018, Chief of Operations, Selection Board Secretariat, JBSA-Randolph AFB, TX
11. May 2018 – May 2019, Chief, Senior Leader Mgmt. (AETC/A1L), JBSA-Randolph AFB, TX
12. May 2019 – December 2020, Chief, Personnel Division (AETC/A1K), JBSA-Randolph AFB, TX
13. December 2020 – June 2021, Deputy Chief, Force Development Integration (HAF/A1DI), Pentagon, DC
14. June 2021 – July 2022, Chief, Program Development Division (HAF/A1MP), Pentagon, DC
15. July 2022 – present, Deputy Commander, 72nd Air Base Wing, Tinker AFB, Okla.

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Joint Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS

2016 USAFE Norm Lezy Award
2016 USAFE Maj Gen Eubank Award
2016 USAFE Hennessy Award
2017 AFPC Personnel FGO of the Year
2018 AETC General Robert J. Dixon Award

(Current as of August 2023)