Lt Col Salvador A. Ordorica

Director of Staff, Strategy & External Engagement

Lt Col Salvador Ordorica is the Director of Staff, Strategy & External Engagement at The Civil Engineer School (TCES) within the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In this role, he oversees the strategic direction and external partnerships of the school, ensuring alignment with Air Force goals. Lt Col Ordorica manages staff operations, facilitates collaborations, and supports educational initiatives to strengthen the Air Force Civil Engineer community. His team executes over 100 courses with 300 annual offerings, impacting more than 16,000 students each year.

Lt Col Ordorica was commissioned into the Air Force in June 2010 through AFROTC at California State University, Sacramento. He completed Civil Engineer Officer Training in June 2012 and has served in various Civil Engineering roles at Columbus AFB, Grand Forks AFB, and Wright-Patterson AFB. Throughout his career, he has held positions as a project engineer, Operations Engineering Chief, Deputy Engineering Chief, Director of Operations during a deployment, full-time student, and Wing Executive Officer.

Lt Col Ordorica is married with three children. Prior to his current position, he served as the Commander of the 821st Support Squadron at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland.

EDUCATION

2010 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, California State University, Sacramento, Calif. 2011 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

2012 Civil Engineers Officer Course, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

2015 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 

2018 Master of Science in Architecture, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa.

2024 Doctorate of Philosophy in Architecture, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa. 

2024 Air Command Staff College, Correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS

1. December 2010 – January 2013, Operations Maintenance Chief, 14th Civil Engineer Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
2. January 2013 – October 2014, Deputy Chief of Engineering, 319th Civil Engineer Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
3. October 2014 – May 2015, Director of Operations, 409th Air Expeditionary Group, Detachment 1, Arba Minch, Ethiopia
4. May 2015 – September 2016, Executive Officer, 319th Air Base Wing, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
5. September 2016 – August 2017, Deputy Chief of Engineering, 319th Civil Engineer Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
6. August 2017 – December 2018, Master Student, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa.
7. December 2018 – August 2021, Director, Department of Technical Applications, The Civil Engineer School, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
8. August 2021-July 2024, Doctorate Student, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa.
9. July 2024 – July 2025, Commander, 821st Support Squadron, Pituffik SB, Greenland

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf cluster

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 

Society of American Military Engineers (SAME)

Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant June 27, 2010

First Lieutenant September 16, 2012

Captain September 16, 2014

Major July 1, 2020

Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2025

(Current as of Jan 2026)