Joshua Cuzan

Associate Professor of Aerospace Science/Operations Officer

Air Force ROTC

Major Josh Cruzan is the Associate Professor of Aerospace
Science/Operations Officer, Air Force Reserve Officer
Training Corps (AFROTC), Detachment 115, The
University of Connecticut. As Associate Professor of
Aerospace Science, he is responsible for the instruction of
the 400-level Aerospace curriculum and leads the training
and education program for 60+ cadets in pursuit of
becoming commissioned Air Force and Space Force
officers.

Maj Cruzan enlisted in the Air Force on 21 January 2009.
Following initial technical training, he was assigned to the
71st Operations Support Squadron, where he served as a
Radar Approach Air Traffic Controller. While there, he
earned all 16 facility certifications and served as the lead
trainer on his shift. Prior to his current position, Maj Cruzan
served as Officer in Charge, Langley Target Development
Cell, leading 30 personnel, driving Basic and Intermediate
Target Development on over 700 locations in support of
Operation INHERENT RESOLVE and Operation
FREEDOM SENTINEL.

He also deployed in a similar
capacity, leading deliberate targeting in the Coalition
Intelligence and Fusion cell, enabling coalition strikes in
Iraq and Syria. He served as Flight Commander, Combat
Mission Team, 75th Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base
San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, where he led a team of 58
personnel in providing offensive cyber intelligence to plan effects in support of Title 10 and Title 50 cyber operations
supporting 2 Combatant Commanders’ strategic objectives. He served as the Assistant Director of Operations/Airfield
Operations Flight Commander, 3rd Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, leading
73 total force personnel across Air Traffic Control, Airfield Management, and Radar and Weather Systems operations
at Indo-Pacific Command’s most complex 24/7 airfield. He was responsible for maintaining a 71 million square foot
weapon system integrating 11 flying units, multiple alert missions with over 36 thousand annual operations, for an 11.6-
billion-dollar aircraft fleet.
Maj Cruzan commissioned 1 May 2015 through Reserve Officer Training Corps at Utah State University, Detachment
860. He is married to Shaleese Cruzan and has four children, Emma, Hallee, Olivia, and Caleb.

EDUCATION
2009 Basic Military Training Course, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas (Honor Graduate)
2009 Air Traffic Control Apprentice Course, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
2015 Bachelor of Arts, Asian Studies (Minor in Chinese), Utah State University, Logan, UT (Distinguished Graduate)
2016 Intelligence Officer Training Course, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
2017 Master of Arts, Intelligence Studies, American Military University, WV
2020 Master of Arts, Executive Leadership, Liberty University, Va
2021 Airfield Operations Officer Training Course, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. (Distinguished Graduate)
2021 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala
2025 Air Command & Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala by correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2009 – March 2009, Trainee, Basic Military Training, 326th Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio Lackland, Texas
2. March 2009 – August 2009, Air Traffic Control Apprentice Course, 334th Training Squadron, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
3. August 2009 – July 2012, Air Traffic Controller, Vance AFB Radar Approach Control, 71st OSS, Vance AFB, Okla.
4. September 2015 – October 2016, Intelligence Officer Training Course, 315th Training Squadron, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
5. October 2016 – May 2017, Intermediate Target Development OIC, 36th Intelligence Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
6. May 2017 – October 2017, Advanced Target Development OIC, 36th Intelligence Squadron, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
7. October 2017 – April 2018, Langley Target Development Cell OIC, 363d Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group,
JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
8. April 2018 – October 2018, Coalition Targeting Officer, 609th Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
9. October 2018 – June 2019, Langley Target Development Cell OIC, 36th Intelligence Squadron, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
10. June 2019 – November 2019, Advanced Geospatial Production and Unit Support Flight Commander, 36th Intelligence
Squadron, JB Langley-Eustis, Va.
11. November 2019 – September 2020, Flight Commander, Combat Mission Team, 75th Intelligence Squadron, JB San Antonio
Lackland, Texas
12. September 2020 – June 2021, Flight Commander, 400 Combat Mission Team, 390th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, JB San
Antonio Lackland, Texas
13. June 2021 – July 2022, Airfield Operations Trainee, 78th Operations Support Squadron, Robins AFB, Georgia
14. July 2022 – June 2023, Assistant Director of Operations/Airfield Operations Flight Commander, 3rd Operations Support
Squadron, JB Elmendorf, Richardson, Alaska
15. June 2023 –Current, Associate Professor of Aerospace Science/Operations Officer, AFROTC Detachment 115, University of
Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1, 2015
First Lieutenant July 15, 2017
Captain July 15, 2019
Major March 1, 2025
(Current as of July 2025)