Mr. Curtis D. McGiffin is currently the Associate Dean of the School of Strategic Force Studies at the Air Force Institute of Technology. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor at the same, teaching strategic deterrence to hundreds of Airmen each year. Prior to this position, Mr. McGiffin served as Executive Director of the Louisiana Tech Research Institute, a non-profit partnership that connected Louisiana Tech University with the Department of Defense where he led strategic deterrence education and research efforts. He also serves as an adjunct professor with Missouri State University’s Department of Defense and Strategic Studies teaching "Nuclear Strategy and Deterrence" and has supported industry as a National Security Consultant and Nuclear Deterrence and Nuclear Command and Control, Communications (NC3) Subject Matter Expert.
Colonel McGiffin was commissioned in May of 1990 through the ROTC program at Southwest Texas State University. He has served as an Instructor Navigator on the EC-135 Looking Glass and E-4B National Airborne Operations Center and as a T-43 Instructor/Evaluator Navigator, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, and as AETC’s T-43/Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training Program Manager. Following graduation from the Joint Military Intelligence College, Col McGiffin commanded the 339th Recruiting Squadron, where his unit led the nation for two consecutive years in enlisted recruitments. Colonel McGiffin then served as Chief, Contingency/Adaptive Plans and Future Operations Branch, US Joint Forces Command where he was responsible for reviewing and coordinating Combatant Command joint-operations plans utilizing USJFCOM-assigned resources, the formulation of all USJFCOM plans, the Global Force Management process, and contingency plan assessments as directed by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He went on to support the Assistant Chief of Staff, Strategic Deterrence & Nuclear Integration’s (AF/A10) mission of reinvigorating the USAF’s nuclear enterprise as the Deputy Chief, Assessments Division and Chief, Executive Services Division. Upon his return from Baghdad, Iraq where he served as the Senior Advisor to the Vice Chief of Staff, Iraqi Armed Forces and mentored the development of the Iraqi National Defense Strategy, Col McGiffin served as the Command Systems Operations Division Chief, Joint Staff J36, Deputy Director for Command, Control, and Nuclear Operations. His final staff assignment was as the first Chief of the National, Nuclear Command, Control, Communications Division, Joint Staff J33, Deputy Director for Nuclear, Homeland Defense, and Current Operations supporting the Chairman’s National Military Command System. Colonel McGiffin’s Air Force career culminated as the Associate Dean of Faculty and Assistant Professor of Strategy and Deterrence at the National War College, where he developed and delivered the college’s first deterrence theory elective.
Colonel McGiffin was a Master Navigator and an instructor/evaluator navigator with more than 2,700 hours in the E-4B, EC-135C/J, KC-135A/E and T-43A aircraft.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Arts in Geography (Resource & Environmental Studies), Southwest Texas State
University (renamed Texas State University), San Marcos, TX
1995 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1996 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
1999 Master of Aeronautical Science (Aviation Management), Embry-Riddle University, Daytona
Beach, FL (Randolph AFB, TX)
2003 Air Command and Staff College, (JPME I), by correspondence
2004 Master of Science Strategic Intelligence, Joint Military Intelligence College (renamed National
Intelligence University), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Bolling AFB, DC
2004 Post-Graduate Intelligence Program certificate, Joint Military Intelligence College (renamed
National Intelligence University), Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), Bolling AFB, DC
2007 Air War College, by correspondence
2007 Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JPME II), Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
ASSIGNMENTS
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: 2755
Aircraft flown: E-4B, EC-135C/J, KC135A/E, T-43
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Combat Readiness Medal with device
National Defense Service Medal with device
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with device
Southwest Asia Service Medal with device
Iraq Campaign Medal with device
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant - 12 May 1990
First Lieutenant - 12 September 1992
Captain - 12 September 1994
Major - October 1, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel - September 1, 2006
Colonel - February 1, 2012
GS-15 – May 13, 2019
(Current as of June 2020)