Colonel Clayton A. Schaefer is the commander, 601st Air Operations Center, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The 601 AOC plans, directs, and assesses air and space operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the United States Northern Command. The AOC provides aerospace warning and control for NORAD Defensive Counter Air activities, as well as directing Air Force air and space capabilities in support of USNORTHCOM homeland security and civil support missions. The 601 AOC fills the critical need to meet the challenge of directing all air sovereignty activities for the continental United States and is the new-age combat weapon system needed to fulfill that crucial defense role by remaining vigilant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Colonel Schaefer was commissioned through the Academy of Military Science in March 2000. He is a Senior Air Battle Manager with multiple deployments leading the Control and Reporting Center (CRC) weapons system, and he served as an evaluator and instructor Senior Director/Mission Crew Commander at the 128th Air Control Squadron, WI ANG. At the unit level, he served as Chief of Training, Chief of Weapons & Tactics, and Chief of Standards and Evaluations. Within the 601 AOC, Colonel Schaefer worked as a Strategy Planner, Joint Interface Control Officer, Chief of C2 Plans, and Combat Operations Division Director of Operations. During 2016-2018, Colonel Schaefer moved to First Air Force A3 as the Division Chief for A3X Plans and Operations. In this role, he led planning for Air Forces Northern Homeland Defense, Defense Support of Civil Authorities, and Security Cooperation missions. Colonel Schaefer led operational missions in several theaters to include combat and combat support missions in support of Operations NOBLE EAGLE and ENDURING FREEDOM.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science, Political Science, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, S.D.
2000 Academy of Military Science, Commissioning Program, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Knoxville, Tenn.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 United State Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2011 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
2016 Air War College (Correspondence)
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1990 - June 1998, Intelligence Specialist, 114 FW, SD ANG, Sioux Falls, S.D.
2. July 1998 - December 1999, Intelligence Specialist, 128 ACS, Volk Field, Wisc.
3. January 2000 - March 2000, Student, Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson ANGB, Knoxville, Tenn.
4. April 2000 - January 2001, Student, Undergraduate Air Battle Management Training, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
5. January 2001 - June 2003, Air Weapons Officer, 128 ACS, Volk Field, Wisc.
6. June 2003 - June 2006, Instructor/Evaluator Senior Director, 128 ACS, Volk Field, Wisc.
7. June 2006 - November 2009, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Instructor/Evaluator Mission Crew Commander,
128 ACS, Volk Field, Wisc.
8. November 2009 - September 2012, Strategy Planner, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
9. September 2012 - June 2014, Joint Interface Control Officer, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB,
Fla.
10. June 2014 - August 2015, Chief C2 Plans, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
11. August 2015 - September 2016, Director of Operations Combat Operations Division, 101st Air and Space Operations
Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
12. September 2016 - October 2018, A3X Chief Plans/Operations, First Air Force, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
13. October 2018 - March 2019, Deputy Chief Combat Plans Division, 101st Air and Space Operations Group,
Tyndall AFB, Fla.
14. March 2019 - November 2019, Chief Combat Operations, 101st Air and Space Operations Group,
Tyndall AFB, Fla.
15. November 2019 - January 2021, Chief Strategy Division, 101st Air and Space Operations Group,
Tyndall AFB, Fla.
16. January 2021 – May 2022, Chief, Combat Operations Division, 101st Air and Space Operations Group,
Tyndall AFB, Fla.
17. June 2022 – present, Commander, 601st Air Operations Center, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Meritorious Unit Award (1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
National Defense Service Medal (1 device)
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1 device)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
AF Overseas Ribbon Short
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant March 3, 2000
First Lieutenant March 3, 2002
Captain March 6, 2004
Major March 17, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel September 24, 2012
Colonel February 12, 2019
(Current as of June 2022)