Thomas Slykhuis

Professor of Military Science Army ROTC University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Address: 1500 U St
Lincoln, NE, 68588,
Phone: 402-472-5885 On-campus 2-5885
Email: tslykhuis2@unl.edu

Lieutenant Colonel Tom Slykhuis is the Department Chair and Professor of Military Science for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Army ROTC Program, Lincoln, Neb.

Lieutenant Colonel Slykhuis grew up in Iowa and earned his commission in 2004 through the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program at the University of Northern Iowa. He initially served as an infantry officer as a platoon leader and company executive officer at Fort Riley Kansas and in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). He transitioned to become an intelligence officer as part of the Army’s Branch Detail program. As an intelligence officer he served in tactical and operational roles both stateside and deployed. He served as an intelligence advisor to an Iraqi Army Infantry Battalion and Brigade in support of OIF. Stateside tours included serving as a watch officer and intelligence plans and theater security cooperation officer at NORAD-USNORTHCOM and senior intelligence officer in a cavalry squadron and assistant intelligence officer in a brigade combat team. He transitioned to the strategic intelligence career field where he served in operational and strategic roles both stateside at U.S. Army Central and overseas assignments in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR). Lieutenant Colonel Slykhuis served as an intelligence planner, analytic branch chief, future capabilities branch chief, deputy director of operations, and deputy division chief and director of operations roles at USSPACECOM and USSTRATCOM.

Lieutenant Colonel Slykhuis and his wife Amy have been married for 20 years and share two boys, Landon (18) and Kason (13)

(Current as of August 2024)

Education

2004 Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa

2004 Infantry Officer Basic Course, Commandant’s List, Fort Moore, Georgia

2008 Military Intelligence Officer Captains Career Course, Commandant’s List, Fort Huachuca, Arizona

2009 Signals Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Officers Course, Fort Huachuca, Arizona

2014 Master of Science in Strategic Intelligence, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C.

2016 Command and General Staff Officer College, by correspondence

2018 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia

ASSIGNMENTS

1. July 2004 – March 2005, Student, Infantry Officer Basic Course, Mechanized Leaders Course, Ranger School, 2-11 IN, Fort Moore, Georgia

2. April 2005 – June 2006, Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer, 1-41 IN, 3rd BDE, 1st AD, Fort Riley, Kansas

3. June 2006 – June 2007, Company Executive Officer, 2-58 IN, 198th IN BDE, Fort Moore, Georgia

4. June 2008 – June 2009, Intelligence Advisor to Iraqi Army Battalion & Brigade, Hawijah and Kirkuk, Iraq

5. December 2009 – December 2010, Duty Director of Intelligence- Missiles, USNORTHCOM J22, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

6. December 2010 – November 2011, Intelligence Plans and Theater Security Cooperation Officer, USNORTHCOM J25, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado

7. November 2011 – November 2012, Squadron Senior Intelligence Officer, 7-10 CAV, 1HBCT, 4ID, Fort Carson, Colorado

8. November 2012 – June 2013, Assistant Brigade Senior Intelligence Officer, 1HBCT, 4ID, Fort Carson, Colorado

9. July 2014 – June 2016, Intelligence Planner, USARCENT & CJTF-OIR, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina & Camp Arifjan, Kuwait

10. July 2016 – July 2017, Branch Chief, Middle East Analytic Branch, USSTRATCOM J22, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska

11. July 2017 – September 2018, Deputy Director of Operations, USSTRATCOM JIOC, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska

12. October 2018 – June 2019, Branch Chief, Space & Counterspace Threats Branch, USSTRATCOM J22, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska

13. July 2019 – May 2020, Deputy Division Chief, Analytic Division, USSPACECOM J22, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado

14. May 2020 – February 2021, Branch Chief, Executive Production Branch, USSPACECOM J22, Peterson Space Force Garrison, Colorado

15. February 2021 – June 2022, Branch Chief, Planning & Programming Branch, USSPACECOM J28, Peterson Space Force Garrison, Colorado

16. June 2022-July 2023, Deputy Division Chief, Intelligence Operations Division, USSTRATCOM J23, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska

17. July 2023- June 2024, Director of Operations, Joint Intelligence Operations Center, USSTRATCOM J2, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters

Meritorious Service Medal

Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf clusters

Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Joint Service Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster

Iraq Campaign Medal-Combat Service with three campaign stars

Ranger Tab

Expert Infantry Badge

Basic Parachutist Badge

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant May 29, 2004

First Lieutenant November 29, 2005

Captain July 1, 2007

Major April 1, 2014

Lieutenant Colonel August 1, 2020

Thomas Slykhuis

Contact

Education