Colonel Damian Schlussel is the Commander, Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education. In this role he provides leadership for all aspects of enlisted education affecting 432,000 total force personnel, including Airman Leadership Schools, Noncommissioned Officer Academies, Senior NCO Academy, Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Academy, Community College of the Air Force, Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute, Foundational courses, and the Enlisted Professional Military Education Instructor Course.
Colonel Schlussel entered the Air Force in 1998 after graduating with military distinction from the United States Air Force Academy. He is a career security forces officer and has held positions at the squadron, group, wing, major command, Headquarters Air Force, and the Joint Staff, including four previous command tours. He has deployed supporting Operations Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn, Enduring Freedom and Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. Colonel Schlussel has also served as an executive officer for the assistant deputy chief of staff for logistics, installations and mission support.
Prior to assuming this position, he was the deputy director of logistics, civil engineering, force protection and nuclear integration, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Masters of Arts in Security Management, American Military University
2007 FBI National Academy Session # 231; Graduate Certificate in Criminal Justice, University of Virginia
2010 Masters of Military Studies, U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, Va.
2017 Masters of Strategic Military Studies, concentration in Weapons of Mass Destruction, National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. 1998-2000 Shift Commander, Emergency Services Team Commander, Convoy Commander, Assistant Operations Officer, 2nd Security Forces Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
2. 2001-2003 Flight Commander, Joint Special Tactics and Assault Team Officer-in-Charge, Wing Antiterrorism/Force Protection OIC, Security Forces Training and Resources OIC, 31st Security Forces Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy
3. 2003-2004 Operations Officer, 31st Security Forces Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
4 2004-2005 Executive Officer and Force Protection Commander, 732nd and 586th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadrons, Camp Bucca, Iraq.
5. 2005-2007 Branch Chief, Force Protection Operations and Chief, Nuclear Security, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe Security Forces, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
6. 2007-2007 Commander, 27th Security Forces Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
7. 2007-2009 Commander, 27th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
8. 2009-2010 Student, U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico Marine Base, Va.
9. 2010-2011 Commander, 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Southwest Asia
10. 2011-2013 Program Element Monitor and Base Defense Integrated Planning Team Lead, Headquarters U.S. Air Force Security Forces, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. 2013-2014 Executive Officer, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
12. 2014-2016 Commander, 31st Security Forces Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
13. 2016-2017 Student, National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C
14. 2017-2019 Presidential Strike Advisor, Assistant Deputy Director for Operations and Chief of Operations, National Military Command Center, J3, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. 2019-2021 Commander, 90th Security Forces Group, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
16. 2021-2022 Chief, Security Forces Division, Directorate of Logistics, Civil Engineering, and Force Protection, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
17. 2022-2023 Deputy Director of Logistics, Civil Engineering, Force Protection and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
18. 2023-present Commander, Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Ala.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. 2017-2018 Presidential Strike Advisor and Assistant Deputy Director for Operations, National Military Command Center, J3, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. as a lieutenant colonel
2. 2018-2019 Chief of Operations, National Military Command Center, J3, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Ritchie Leadership Excellence and Outstanding Contributor Awards, Squadron Officer School
2003 USAFE Security Forces Company Grade Officer of the Year
2004 DoD Antiterrorism/Force Protection Program of the Year (Program Manager)
2005 HQ USAFE Company Grade Officer of the Year
2005 Higher Headquarters Air Force Outstanding Security Forces Officer of the Year
2008/9 Air Force Special Operations Command Outstanding Medium Security Forces Squadron of the Year (Commander)
2009 27th Special Operations Mission Support Group Squadron of the Year (Commander)
2010 Honorable Order of Saint Barbara (Honorary Military Society of the Army Air Defense and Field Artillery)
2014 31st Mission Support Group Squadron of the year (Commander)
2014 USAFE Outstanding Large Security Forces Squadron of the Year (Commander)
DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 1998
First Lieutenant 2000
Captain 2002
Major 2007
Lieutenant Colonel 2012 (BPZ)
Colonel 2018 (Frocked)
(Current as of December 2023)