Lieutenant Colonel Adam J. Messer is Commander of AFROTC Detachment 340, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts. His team’s mission is to develop quality leaders by preparing students to become officers in the US Air Force and US Space Force while earning a college degree.
Lieutenant Colonel Messer was commissioned upon graduating from the United States Air Force Academy with a degree in operations research and a minor in philosophy. He attained a master’s degree and a doctor of philosophy in operations research from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 2011 and 2017, respectively. Lieutenant Colonel Messer’s research interest lie in digital transformation, application of statistical modeling to decision making, and statistical anomaly detection. Most recently, he was the Chief Analyst at the Space Operations Command Digital Transformation Directorate, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. Other assignments include Headquarters Air Force Personnel Policy Analyst, Assignments Officer at the Air Force Personnel Center, and Theater Analyst at the United States Air Forces in Europe.
EDUCATION
2006 Bachelor of Science, academic distinction, United States Air Force Academy, Col.
2006 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of science degree in Operations Research, Distinguished Graduate, Air Force Institute of Technology, Dayton, Oh.
2013 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondance
2017 Doctor of Philophoshy in Operations Reseach, Air Force Institute of Technology, Dayton, Oh.
2021 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondance
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2006 – August 2009, AF Personnel Policy Analyst, HQ Air Force, Pentagon, DC
2. August 2009 – March 2011, masters student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton,Oh.
3. April 2011 – August 2014, Theater Analyst, then Deputy Chief Analyst, Studies and Analysis Division, Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Deu.
4. August 2012 – February 2013, Plans Officer, NATO Kosovo Forces, Film City, Kosovo
5. August 2014 – September 2017, doctoral student, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Oh.
6. September 2017 – January 2020, Scientist Assignments Officer, then Deputy Branch Chief, Acquisitions Officer Assignments, Air Force Personnel Center, Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, Tex.
7. January 2020 – June 2023, Chief Analyst, Digital Transformation Directorate, Space Operations Commander, Peterson SFB, Col.
8. July 2022 – February 2023, Campaign Assessment Branch Chief, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
7. June 2023 – present, Commander, AFROTC Detachment 340, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester,
Mass.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commadation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters
Kosovo Campaign Medal with service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
NATO Non-Article V Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 2006
First Lieutenant May 31, 2008
Captain May 31, 2010
Major May 1, 2016
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2021
(Current as of June 2023)
