Col. Pedro E. Matos is the Commander, International Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. In this capacity, he directs the Department of the Air Force’s only international military student professional military education program providing post-graduate level preparatory courses for over 250 IMS from 85 countries annually.
Col. Matos entered the Army in 1996 after commissioning as a distinguished graduate of the Army ROTC program from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus. In 2001, after four years in the United States Army, he was approved for an Inter-Service transfer to the United States Air Force. Colonel Matos is a career intelligence and international affairs officer, with vast tactical, operational, and strategic experience.
Prior to this position, Col Matos served as the Commander, 14th Mission Support Group, Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi in where he led a 750-person workforce and managed a $38 million budget.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice, Inter-American University of Puerto Rico
1996 Army Reserve Officers Training Corps, University of Puerto Rico
1998 Army Military Intelligence Officer Basic Course, Ft. Huachuca, Ariz.
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Intelligence Officer Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2004 Masters of Human Relations, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Okla.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alab. (Correspondence)
2010 Master’s in Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB Ala. (Correspondence)
2019 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1996 – January 1997, Student, Defense Language Institute English Language Center, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. January 1997 – September 1998, Student, Military Intelligence Officers Basic Course, Ft. Huachuca, Ariz.
3. September 1998 – September 2001, Watch Officer/Platoon Leader, Global Response Operations, NSA/CSS, Ft. Meade, Md.
4. September 2001 – January 2003, Student, USAF Intelligence Officer Course, Air Defense Command and Control Warfare and Intelligence Preparation of the Battlespace Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
5. January 2003 – January 2005, Chief, Intelligence Targeting and Resources, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany
6. February 2003 – May 2003, Chief, Wing Reporting, PSAB, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
7. January 2005 – January 2007, Director of Operations, Inter-American Air Forces Academy, Lackland AFB, Texas
8. May 2006 – December 2006, Senior Intelligence Advisor, US Embassy in Colombia
9. January 2007 – July 2008, Chief, ISR Policy Branch, AF ISR Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas
10. July 2008 – July 2009, Commander, 17th Training Group, Detachment 1, Ft. Huachuca, Ariz.
11. August 2009 – June 2010, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. July 2010 – July 2012, Political-Military Affairs Strategist, USSOUTHCOM, Doral, Florida
13. July 2012 – June 2013, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander, USSOUTHCOM, Doral, Fla.
14. July 2013 – July 2015, Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Detachment 847, Angelo State University, Texas
15. July 2015 – October 2016, Chief, Intelligences Surveillance and Reconnaissance, 612th AOC, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
16. March 2016 – October 2016, Senior Intelligence Advisor, Kabul, Afghanistan
17. October 2016 – August 2017, Deputy Director of Intelligence, 12 AF (AFSOUTH), Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
18. August 2017 – May 2018, Deputy Commandant, Inter-American Air Forces Academy, Lackland AFB, Texas
19. June 2018 – June 2019, Chief, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, 609th Air Operations Center, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
20. June 2019 – August 2019, Student, Joint and Combined War Fighting School, Norfolk, Virginia.
21. September 2019 – July 2022, Military Deputy Director of Intelligence, J2 Directorate and Chief, Intelligence Security Cooperation Division, USSOUTHCOM, Doral, Fla.
22. July 2022 – June 2024, Commander, 14th Mission Support Group, Columbus AFB, Miss.
23. July 2024-Present, Commander, International Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Joint Service commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1996 Cum Laude, Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, Inter-American University of Puerto Rico
1996 Distinguished Graduate, Army Reserve Officers Training Corps, University of Puerto Rico
2004 52 operations Support Squadron Company Grade Officer of the Year
2005 Inter-American Air Forces Academy Company Grade Officer of the Year
2015 Commanded AFROTC Unit to Medium-Size Detachment of the Year, Det 847
2015 AFA Texas Medal of Freedom Recipient
2021 U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps Knowlton Award
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant September. 23, 1996
First Lieutenant, March 23, 1997
Captain April 30, 2001
Major October. 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 2012
Colonel Jul. 1, 2018
(Current as of July 2024)