Lt Col James M. Tucci, Ph.D., USAF (Ret.) is Professor of Strategy and Security Studies at the USAF School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS).
Dr. Tucci teaches a wide variety of history, theory, and security courses in support of SAASS’ mission of developing strategists for the US and its allies and partners. Tucci is an active scholar publishing works on leadership, strategic education, and military campaign analysis. He supports other Air University (AU) institutions with teaching, lectures, and facilitation. He has regularly served as an analyst for the annual POWER Nuclear Deterrence wargame conducted for US Strategic Command by AU’s LeMay Center. He has also taught strategy at the schools of US allies and partners.
During his 22-year USAF career, Tucci was part of some of the Cold War’s most dramatic moments. He was one of the first Peacekeeper Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), the most powerful weapon in American history, crew members and was part of the team that brought the missile through development, testing, and deployment. He successfully launched Peacekeeper Test Flight 17, the final test of the weapon system before Initial Operational Capability (IOC). Dr. Tucci’s two-man crew was on alert during the first Single Flight Operations in Strategic Air Command (SAC) history; a fire in one Launch Control Center had left Tucci’s crew in command of 49 ICBMs with a total warhead yield of 50,000KT. Tucci twice won Best Peacekeeper Crew at the annual SAC Missile Combat Competition. While sitting nuclear alert, Tucci watched a broadcast of the Berlin Wall coming down and later was present for the symbolic end of the Cold War, President Ronald Reagan’s and Mikhail Gorbachev’s speeches at Fulton, MO, the site of Winston Churchill’s 1946 “Iron Curtain” speech. Tucci later served as the Airborne Operations Officer aboard the first operational E6B “Looking Glass” sortie at US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) and his crew was rated as the top Command and Control unit in the Department of Defense. Tucci taught the Airborne Emergency Action Officer (AEAO) Course which trained and certified over 100 flag-rank officers for duty as the key Presidential adviser for nuclear war on the USSTRATCOM “Looking Glass”. Tucci also launched an ICBM from the air as part of the Follow On Test and Evaluation (FOT&E) program, testing the deterrent capability of our current nuclear force. His three tours teaching and commanding at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) and the USAF Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) helped educate new generations of officers for service in today’s complex security environment.
EDUCATION
1984 - Bachelor of Arts, History; Bachelor of Arts, Classics, Augustana College, Rock Island, IL
1985 - Officer Training School, Lackland AFB, TX
1986 – ICBM Initial Qualification Training, Vandenberg AFB, CA
1990 - Squadron Officer School, (res) Maxwell AFB, AL
1992 - Master of Arts, History, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
1997 – ICBM Air Launch Control System Training Course; USSTRATCOM Adaptive Planning Course
1998 - Air Command and Staff College (sem), Maxwell AFB, AL
2003 - Doctor of Philosophy, Comparative World History, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
ASSIGNMENTS/CAREER CHRONOLOGY
May 1986 – May 1990, Minuteman III-CDB and Peacekeeper ICBM Combat Crew Commander, Flight Commander, Stan/Eval Senior Crew, F.E. Warren AFB, WY
August 1990 – May 1992 Graduate Student, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
June 1992 – June 1994 Instructor, Squadron Training Officer, Associate Air-Officer-Commanding, USAF Academy, CO
July 1994 – June 1997 Graduate Student, AFIT Liaison Officer, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
June 1997- June 2000 Airborne Operations Officer, Intel Planner, ICBM Air Launch Control System Officer, SIOP Advisor, US Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE
(served on team insuring post-Y2K operability of entire strategic nuclear missile force)
(launched ICBM using ALCS as part of FOT&E deterrence demonstration mission)
July 2000 – June 2004 Assistant Professor, Dir of Cadet Development, Dir of Military History, Associate Air-Officer-Commanding, USAF Academy, CO
July 2004 – September 2007 Assistant Professor, Course Director, USAF Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
(served as AU augmentee on Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Inspector General (IG) Team)
October 2007 – Present Associate Professor, USAF School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, AL
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 1997 – June 2000 Airborne Operations Officer, Intel Planner, ICBM ALCS Officer, US Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE, as a major
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster)
Aerial Achievement Medal (with three oak leaf clusters)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with oak leaf cluster)
Air Force Organizational Excellent Award (with oak leaf cluster)
Combat Readiness Medal (with three oak leaf clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (with bronze star)
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal (with oak leaf cluster)
Air Force Longevity Service Award (with three oak leaf clusters)
Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1989 Best Peacekeeper Crew, SAC Missile Combat Competition
1989 SAC Combat Crew of the Month
1990 Best Peacekeeper Crew, SAC Missile Combat Competition
1993 Company Grade Officer of the Year
2006 Outstanding Cadet Mentoring Award
1984 Graduated Cum Laude, Augustana College, Rocke Island, IL
OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
ICBM Operations (Master)
Space Operations (Master)
Officer Aircrew (Basic)
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
“Nikias” Chapter in The Worst Military Commanders in History, Reaktion Books, 2022.
“Classical Strategy”. Chapter in Strategy: Context and Adaptation from Archidamus to Airpower, Naval Institute Press, 2016.
“Miltiades,” in The Encyclopedia of War, Blackwell Publishing, 2011
“Ammianus Marcellinus,” in The Encylopedia of War, Blackwell Publsihing, 2011
“The Battle of Cynocephelae,” in The Encyclopedia of War, Blackwell Publishing, 2011
“Warfare in the Ancient World,” The Journal of Military History, July, 2010
Expeditionary Air and Space Warfare Coursebook, editor, Air Command and Staff College, 2006.
Air Warfare Handbook, editor, Air Command and Staff College, 2006.
Expeditionary Air and Space Power Coursebook, co-editor, Air Command and Staff College, 2005.
“Thucydides and National Security” iNSinc, September 2005.
“Persian-Byzantine Wars,” in the International Encyclopedia of Military History, 2003
“Alexander the Great,” in the International Encyclopedia of Military History, 2003
“Crete (1941),” in the International Encyclopedia of Military History, 2003
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Daedalians
Association of Air Force Missileers
Air Force Association
Phi Alpha Theta
Eta Sigma Phi