Col Aaron B. Cavazos serves as the 325th Fighter Wing Deputy Commander at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The fighter wing’s mission is to project unrivaled combat airpower for America. The wing is currently building up to be the Air Force’s newest operational fighter wing with three F-35A squadrons tasked to support national defense. As the installation Deputy Commander, Col Cavazos supports the Commander in leading the 23,000 Airmen, civilians, contractors, and families who call Tyndall Air Force Base home.
He is a 2005 Distinguished Graduate of Texas A&M University and graduated from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas in 2006. After completing A-10 initial qualification as the Distinguished Graduate, he deployed twice to Operation Enduring Freedom. He then graduated from the United States Air Force Weapons School and has served as an A-10 and F-35 Chief Instructor Pilot, an Air Advisor to the Colombian and Royal Canadian Ministries of Defense, and as the Secretary of Defense’s Senior Advisor on Military Training. In 2014, he transitioned to the F-35 as an Initial Cadre Instructor Pilot and commanded F-35 combat operations in four named combat campaigns. In his last assignment, he served as the lead Air Force Officer to the F-35 Joint Program Office in Washington D.C.
EDUCATION
2005 Bachelor of Science, Agricultural Leadership and Development, Texas A&M University
2011 United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Education, Texas A&M University
2012 Certificate in Advanced International Affairs, Texas A&M University
2018 Master of International Public Policy, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Washington D.C.
2018 Air Command & Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 Master of National Security Strategy, National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2005 - April 2007, Student pilot, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 80th Operational Support Squadron, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. June 2007 - February 2008, A-10C Student Pilot, 357th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
3. March 2008 - March 2012, Flight Commander & A-10C Weapons Officer, 75th FS, Moody AFB, Ga.
4. March 2012 - June 2014, Chief of Weapons & Wing Executive Officer, 355th Fighter Wing, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
5. June 2014 – June 2017, Assistant Director of Operations & F-35 Instructor Pilot, 61st FS, Luke AFB, Ariz.
6. June 2017- June 2018, Air Force Fellow, Johns Hopkins University, Washington D.C.
7. June 2018 – June 2019, Director of Operations, 34th FS, Hill AFB, Utah
8. June 2019 - July 2021, Commander, 34th FS, Hill AFB, Utah
9. July 2021 – June 2022, Student, National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
10. June 2022 – June 2024, Senior Advisor for Training Governance. Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington D.C.
11. June 2024 – June 2025, United States Air Force Service Deputy, F-35 Joint Program Office, Crystal City, Va.
BIOGRAPHY
12. July 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander, 325th FW, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2022 – June 2024, Senior Advisor for Training Governance, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a Lieutenant Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Hours: More than 4,000 total, including 1,000 fighter combat hours
Aircraft Flown: T-37, T-38, A-10C, A-29B, OV-10A, A-37B, F-35A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor device with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with nine oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Combat Action Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Aug. 12, 2005
First Lieutenant Aug. 26, 2007
Captain Aug. 26, 2009
Major Feb. 1, 2016
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 1, 2018
Colonel April 1, 2024
(Current as of Aug 2025)