Lt Col Nicholas Edwards is the Commander at the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 365 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, Mass. He leads a high performing cadre team to recruit, educate, and commission officer candidates for the USAF and Space Force at MIT, Harvard University, Tufts University, and Wellesley College.
In 2008, Lt Col Edwards graduated from Purdue University and commissioned through AFROTC. After completing training, he served as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Combat Crew Commander, Instructor, and Chief, 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB) Mont. In 2014, he graduated from the USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev. After graduation, he served as the Flight Commander, Weapons and Tactics, 532d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. In 2017, he became the Assistant Director of Operations, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. He was selected as the 2019 Air Force Fellow, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M. In 2020, he became a Presidential Strike Advisor and Branch Chief, J-36, The Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C. Prior to his current position, the Lieutenant Colonel was the Primary Nuclear Strike Advisor for the Commander and Deputy Division Chief, U.S. European Command (USEUCOM), Stuttgart, Germany.
EDUCATION
2008 Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
2008 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Space 100 Course, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2009 ICBM Initial Qualification Training Course, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2010 ICBM Operations Instructor Course, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
2013 Master of Science in Systems Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
2013 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 United States Air Force Weapons School’s Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2014 Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Basic Instructor Course, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2020 Air University’s Air Force Fellowship Program, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M.
2023 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Nuclear Policy Course, NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2025 AETC Senior Leader Course, Randolph AFB, Texas
2025 AETC Professor of Aerospace Studies Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2025 AETC Leadership Development Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2025 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2008–March 2009, Student, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2. April 2009–May 2010, Deputy Combat Crew Commander, 12th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
3. June 2010–March 2011, Instructor, 341st Operations Support Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
4. April 2011–February 2012, Missile Combat Crew Commander, 12th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
5.March 2012–December 2013, Chief, ICBM Training Products and later, ICBM Emergency War Orders Instructor, 341st Operations Support Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
6. January 2014–June 2014, Student, United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
7. July 2014–June 2017, Flight Commander, Weapons and Tactics, 532d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
8. July 2017–June 2019, Assistant Director of Ops, Weapons and Tactics, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
9. July 2019–June 2020, Air Force Fellow, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N.M.
10. July 2020–November 2020, Operations Officer, Operational Team 5, J-36, The Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
11. December 2020–February 2021, Senior Emergency Action Officer, Operational Team 5, J-36, The Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
12. March 2021–April 2021, Presidential Strike Advisor, Operational Team 5, J-36, The Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
13. May 2021–October 2021, Chief, Operational Training Branch, J-36, The Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
14. November 2021–July 2022, Operations Officer, J-36, The Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
15. August 2022–June 2024, Primary Nuclear Strike Advisor for the Commander, USEUCOM and Chief, Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) Branch, Headquarters USEUCOM, Stuttgart, Germany
16. July 2024–July 2025, Deputy Division Chief, Headquarters USEUCOM, Stuttgart, German
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2020–July 2022, Operations Officer, Presidential Strike Advisor, Branch Chief, J-36, The Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a Major
2. August 2022–July 2025, Primary Nuclear Strike Advisor for the Commander, USEUCOM and Chief, NC3 Branch, Headquarters USEUCOM, Stuttgart, Germany as a Lieutenant Colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with 1 oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with 1 oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal with 2 oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 28 May 2008
First Lieutenant 28 May 2010
Captain 28 May 2012
Major 1 April 2018
Lieutenant Colonel 1 October 2022
(Current as of Sept 2025)