Colonel Ty E. Miller
Colonel Ty E. Miller is the Deputy Commander, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick Space Force Base, Fla. AFTAC operates and maintains the United States Atomic Energy Detection System to monitor foreign compliance with various treaties limiting nuclear testing. The focus of AFTAC’s more than 1,100 professionals is to detect special events in the atmosphere, underwater, underground and in space, to determine if they are nuclear, and to report them to national decision makers.
Colonel Miller received his commission from the United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in May 2000. Following his commissioning, he was assigned as a physicist at the Air Force Information Warfare Center performing technical warfighter support to Combatant Commands. He has held several nuclear-related positions working in both the Air Force and Joint worlds including positions at the Air Force Technical Applications Center, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Department of Energy, and Headquarters Air Force.
He received both his master’s and doctorate degree in Nuclear Physics from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Dayton, Ohio. He served as the Air Force’s action officer for the Nuclear Weapons Council, providing direct support to the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Under Secretary of the Air Force and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force as a nuclear technology and policy expert.
Prior to assuming command, Colonel Miller was the Director of International Air Force Programs, Weapons Division, Office of International Operations at the Defense Security
Cooperation Agency, responsible for providing technical and doctrinal subject-matter expertise on weapons and systems, while synchronizing interagency technology release efforts to support weapons sales, and serving as the industry ombudsman for Foreign Military Sales and international FMS competitions.
He forward deployed to Al Udeid Air Force Base in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, University of Portland, Portland, Ore.
2004 Master of Science degree in Nuclear Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010 Doctorate of Philosophy in Nuclear Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2011 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence)
2011 Intermediate Developmental Education Graduate (equivalent credit)
2019 Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Distinguished Graduate, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2000 – August 2002, Electronic Warfare Officer, 453rd Electronic Warfare Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. August 2002 – March 2004, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson, AFB, Ohio
3. March 2004 – March 2006, Nuclear Debris Alert Officer, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
4. March 2006 – August 2007, Branch Chief, Nuclear Test Branch, Acting Division Chief Atmospheric Sciences Division Chief, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
5. August 2007 – September 2010, Ph.D Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson, AFB, Ohio
6. September 2010 – July 2013, Chief, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Detachment, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Livermore, Calif.
7. August 2013 – August 2015, Deputy Chief, Stockpile Assessments Branch, Capability Division,
Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Directorate, Headquarters Air Force, Washington, D.C.
8. August 2015 – March 2018, Materiel Leader, Verifications Science Division, Materials Technology Directorate, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
9. April 2018 – July 2018, Commander, 21st Surveillance Squadron, 709th Surveillance and Analysis Group, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
10. August 2018 – June 2019, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 2019 – August 2020, Chief, Wargame Development, Nuclear Technologies Department, Research and Development Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
12. August 2020 – June 2023, Director, International Air Force Programs, Weapons Division, Office of International Operations, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2023 – Present, Deputy Commander, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick SFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2010 – July 2013, Chief, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Detachment, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Livermore, Calif., as a major and a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2019 – August 2020, Chief, Wargame Development, Nuclear Technologies Department, Research and Development Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
3. August 2020 – June 2023, Director, International Air Force Programs, Weapons Division, Office of International Operations, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 7, 2000
First Lieutenant May 31, 2002
Captain May 31, 2004
Major Dec. 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 2015
Colonel Dec. 1, 2020
(Current as of July 2023)
Colonel Miller received his commission from the United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps in May 2000. Following his commissioning, he was assigned as a physicist at the Air Force Information Warfare Center performing technical warfighter support to Combatant Commands. He has held several nuclear-related positions working in both the Air Force and Joint worlds including positions at the Air Force Technical Applications Center, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Department of Energy, and Headquarters Air Force.
He received both his master’s and doctorate degree in Nuclear Physics from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Dayton, Ohio. He served as the Air Force’s action officer for the Nuclear Weapons Council, providing direct support to the Secretary of the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Under Secretary of the Air Force and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force as a nuclear technology and policy expert.
Prior to assuming command, Colonel Miller was the Director of International Air Force Programs, Weapons Division, Office of International Operations at the Defense Security
Cooperation Agency, responsible for providing technical and doctrinal subject-matter expertise on weapons and systems, while synchronizing interagency technology release efforts to support weapons sales, and serving as the industry ombudsman for Foreign Military Sales and international FMS competitions.
He forward deployed to Al Udeid Air Force Base in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, University of Portland, Portland, Ore.
2004 Master of Science degree in Nuclear Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010 Doctorate of Philosophy in Nuclear Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2011 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence)
2011 Intermediate Developmental Education Graduate (equivalent credit)
2019 Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Distinguished Graduate, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2000 – August 2002, Electronic Warfare Officer, 453rd Electronic Warfare Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. August 2002 – March 2004, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson, AFB, Ohio
3. March 2004 – March 2006, Nuclear Debris Alert Officer, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
4. March 2006 – August 2007, Branch Chief, Nuclear Test Branch, Acting Division Chief Atmospheric Sciences Division Chief, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
5. August 2007 – September 2010, Ph.D Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson, AFB, Ohio
6. September 2010 – July 2013, Chief, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Detachment, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Livermore, Calif.
7. August 2013 – August 2015, Deputy Chief, Stockpile Assessments Branch, Capability Division,
Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Directorate, Headquarters Air Force, Washington, D.C.
8. August 2015 – March 2018, Materiel Leader, Verifications Science Division, Materials Technology Directorate, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
9. April 2018 – July 2018, Commander, 21st Surveillance Squadron, 709th Surveillance and Analysis Group, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
10. August 2018 – June 2019, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
11. June 2019 – August 2020, Chief, Wargame Development, Nuclear Technologies Department, Research and Development Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.
12. August 2020 – June 2023, Director, International Air Force Programs, Weapons Division, Office of International Operations, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Washington, D.C.
13. July 2023 – Present, Deputy Commander, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick SFB, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2010 – July 2013, Chief, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Detachment, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Livermore, Calif., as a major and a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2019 – August 2020, Chief, Wargame Development, Nuclear Technologies Department, Research and Development Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
3. August 2020 – June 2023, Director, International Air Force Programs, Weapons Division, Office of International Operations, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 7, 2000
First Lieutenant May 31, 2002
Captain May 31, 2004
Major Dec. 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 2015
Colonel Dec. 1, 2020
(Current as of July 2023)
