BIOGRAPHY - | Clarkson University

1 BIOGRAPHY UNITED STATES AIR FORCE lieutenant colonel WESLEY J. NIMS lieutenant colonel Wesley Nims is Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 536 and Professor of Aerospace Studies at Clarkson University , Potsdam, New York. His responsibilities include recruiting, educating and training cadets in preparation for active duty service as commissioned officers in the United States Air Force through academic instruction in Air Force doctrine, history and national security studies, as well as practical experience in all aspects of leadership and officership. Detachment 536 resides at Clarkson University and supports crosstown agreements with St. Lawrence University , State University New York at Canton, and State University New York at Potsdam to makes its program available to a wider student population.

2 Lt Col Nims grew up in Augusta, Maine and attended Cony High School where he was a starter for the Baseball team which won consecutive Maine Class A Baseball Championships in 1990-91. While on a four-year AFROTC scholarship, he obtained his BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia in 1996, graduating with distinction and as a Distinguished Graduate of the AFROTC Detachment 890. Upon commissioning, he began Undergraduate Navigator Training in Pensacola, Florida. He earned his Navigator Wings at Randolph AFB, Texas in June 1997. Upon completion of the C-130E Formal Training Unit course at Little Rock, AFB, Arkansas, he reported to the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. During this assignment, he upgraded to Instructor and participated in combat missions in Operations Joint Guard, Joint Forge, Joint Guardian, and Allied Force.

3 Following that tour, he was assigned to the 62nd Airlift Squadron at Little Rock AFB, which was the C-130E Formal Training Unit (the Schoolhouse) for all C-130 aircrews. During this assignment, he upgraded to Evaluator and served as the Executive Officer to the Squadron Commander. Upon separating from active duty, he joined the 164th Airlift Squadron of the Ohio Air National Guard where he became the Operations Group Stan/Eval Navigator and deployed twice to Kuwait to fly missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2005, he transferred to the 700th Airlift Squadron of the Air Force Reserves where he was a full-time reservist and managed the unit s Formal Training Unit training program and served as the Chief of Current Operations. In 2009, he joined the 116th Air Support Operations Squadron of the Washington Air National Guard, serving as a Brigade Air Liaison Officer and Flight Commander.

4 Most recently, he was a Flight Commander and Instructor Navigator for the 186th Airlift Squadron of the Montana Air National Guard and deployed to Kuwait, serving as an Assistant Director of Operations and flying missions in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. EDUCATION 1996: Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Virginia 2002: Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL 2006: Master of Business Administration, Webster University , St. Louis, MO 2011: Air Command and Staff College (non-residence) ASSIGNMENTS 1. January 1996 October 1996, student, joint specialized undergraduate navigator training, Pensacola NAS, FL 2. November 1996 September 1997, student, joint specialized undergraduate navigator training, Randolph AFB, TX 3. October 1997- March 1998, student, C-130E Formal Training Unit, Little Rock AFB, AR 4. April 1998 March 2001, Electronic Combat Officer and Instructor Navigator, 37th Airlift Sq, Ramstein AB, GE 5.

5 April 2001 October 2003, Executive Officer and Evaluator Navigator, 62nd Airlift Sq, Little Rock AFB, AR 6. November 2003 March 2005, Stan/Eval Navigator, 164th Airlift Sq, Mansfield-Lahm Airport, OH 7. April 2005 February 2009, Chief of Current Operations, 94th Operations Group, Dobbins ARB, GA 8. March 2009 March 2014, Brigade Air Liaison Officer, 116th Air Support Operations Sq, Camp Murray, WA 9. April 2014 July 2017, Flight Commander and Instructor Navigator, 186th Airlift Squadron, Great Falls IAP, MT 10. August 2017 Present, Commander, AFROTC Detachment 536, Clarkson University , Potsdam, NY FLIGHT INFORMATION Rating: Master Navigator Flight hours: More than 4,000 with 360 combat hours Aircraft Flown: T-34C, T-43A, T-1A, C-130E, C-130H MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters Aerial Achievement Medal Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second lieutenant Dec.

6 28, 1995 First lieutenant Dec. 28, 1997 Captain Dec. 28, 1999 Major Apr. 20, 2004 lieutenant colonel Apr. 20, 2011 (Current as of August 2017) Lt Col Nims, Montana Air National Guard crew, and the mighty C-130H Hercules, after a mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve