Overview
Lieutenant Colonel Michael J. Nishimura is the Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 585 and Department Chair/Professor of Aerospace Studies at Duke University. He is responsible for overseeing the recruitment and preparation of officer candidates through a comprehensive education and training program. This program develops and produces professional leaders of character, who are dedicated to serving the nation, while leading the United States Air Force and the United States Space Force in the 21st century.
In 2003, Lt Col Nishimura commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at Indiana University. He has served through a variety of roles as flight commander, military personnel exchange officer, executive assistant, Southeast Asia country director, operations officer, and Logistics Readiness Squadron Commander. His staff tours include duty as a logistics exchange officer in the Royal Thai Air Force’s Logistics Directorate, as a member of Pacific Air Forces’ International Affairs Division, and as an executive assistant to Pacific Air Forces’ Chief of Staff. Lt Col Nishimura is a Distinguished Graduate from the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and attended the Royal Thai Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College in-residence at Don Muang AFB in Thailand. He also holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from Oklahoma University and a certificate in Regional Security Studies in East and Southeast Asia from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He has deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM.