Air Force ROTC

Colonel Murray R. Clark

Colonel Murray R. "Murf" Clark currently serves as the Chair of the Department of Aerospace Studies and the Professor of Aerospace Studies at Norwich University. He is responsible for recruiting, training, motivating, and educating Air Force officer candidates, preparing them for leadership roles beyond Norwich University, and ensuring they meet the high expectations for career service in the United States Air Force. He is a Command Pilot with over 3,700 hours in the KC-135R/T/Q, T-37, T-38, and T-3 aircraft. Previously, Colonel Clark served as the Air Force Senior Service Representative and Director of Strategic Leadership in the Department of Command, Leadership, and Management at the US Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, where he taught leadership, change management, and joint military processes to future senior leaders from all military services and many allied nations. Prior to that, Colonel Clark deployed to south-central Asia (Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan) for a year as Commander of the 376th Operations Group, where he coordinated with Kyrgyzstan's volatile Civil Aviation Authority, worked with international airport authorities to fly combat missions from their national-capitol airport, and led flight crews, flight-equipment technicians, weather forecasters, and intelligence analysts to provide approximately one-third of the air refueling of all military aircraft over Afghanistan involved in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Colonel Clark graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Humanities and was named a Distinguished Graduate and the Outstanding Cadet in both Philosophy and Humanities. He completed Undergraduate Pilot Training at Williams AFB, AZ, in 1988 and was assigned to McConnell AFB, KS, to fly the KC-135R in Strategic Air Command. Colonel Clark has served as an evaluator pilot, operations officer, squadron commander, deputy operations group commander, and as a speechwriter and Chief of the Commander's Action Group at Air Mobility Command headquarters. Since 2001 he has deployed six times to four different forward operating locations, once as an Operations Group Commander, twice as a Director of Operations, and three times as an Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron Commander. As an Air Force Fellow, Colonel Clark completed an assignment as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow working at Cisco Systems in San Jose, California, where he was tasked to glean the best of change, innovation, and leading-edge business practices to transform DoD. He and his wife are the parents of four children.

Education

• 1987 Bachelor of Science, Humanities, United States Air Force Academy, CO (Distinguished Graduate)
• 1994 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL (Distinguished Graduate)
• 1996 Master of Arts, Languages/Communicative Arts, University of Notre Dame, IN
• 2001 US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
• 2006 Air War College, distance-learning program
• 2007 Center for Strategic and Budgetary Analysis Understudy, Washington, DC
• 2007 Darden School of Business, Seminar for Executives, University of Virginia
• 2008 Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellows Program for Senior Developmental Education

Assignments

1. July 1987 - Sept 1988, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams AFB, AZ
2. Sept 1988 - Jan 1989, Student, Combat Crew Training School, Castle AFB, CA
3. Feb 1989 - Sept 1993, KC-135R/T Copilot, Aircraft Commander, and Instructor Pilot, 384th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, KS
4. Sept 1993 - July 1994, KC-135R/T Chief Pilot, 349th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, KS
5. July 1994 - December 1995, Air Force Institute of Technology Student, University of Notre Dame, IN
6. December 1995 - June 1999, Assistant Professor, Executive Officer, and T-3 Instructor Pilot, Department of English, United States Air Force Academy, CO
7. June 1999 - June 2000, KC-135R/T Flight Commander/Instructor Pilot, 349th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, KS
8. July 2000 - June 2001, US Army Command and General Staff College student, Ft. Leavenworth, KS
9. June 2001 - April 2002, Assistant Director of Operations, KC-135R/T Evaluator Pilot, 905th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, ND
10. May 2002 - June 2004, Director of Operations, KC-135R/T Evaluator Pilot, 912th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, ND
11. June 2004 - Dec 2005, Commander, 911th Air Refueling Squadron, Grand Forks AFB, ND
12. Dec 2005 - Jan 2006, Deputy Commander, 319th Operations Group, Grand Forks AFB, ND
13. Jan 2006 - Apr 2007, Chief, Command Speechwriting Team, AMC Commander's Action Group
14. Apr-2007 - Jun 2007, Chief, Commander's Action Group, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, IL
15. Jun 2007 - Jun 2008, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, Cisco Systems, San Jose, CA
16. Jul 2008 - Jul 2009, Commander, 376th Operations Group, Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan
17. Aug 2009 - Jun 2012, Senior Air Force Representative and Director of Strategic Leadership, US Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA

Flight Information

• Rating: Command pilot
• Flight Hours: More than 3700 (4 Air Medals, 429 Combat hours)
• Aircraft: KC-135R/T, T-37, T-38, T-3

Major Awards and Decorations

• Bronze Star Medal
• Meritorious Service Medal (three oak leaf clusters)
• Air Medal (three oak leaf clusters)
• Aerial Achievement Medal (two oak leaf clusters)
• Air Force Commendation Medal
• Army Commendation Medal
• Joint Meritorious Unit Award
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (five oak leaf clusters)
• Combat Readiness Medal (two oak leaf clusters)
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Southwest Asia Service Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal
• Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon w/Gold Border (three oak leaf clusters)

Effective Dates of Promotion

• Second Lieutenant May 87
• First Lieutenant May 89
• Captain May 91
• Major November 98
• Lieutenant Colonel June 03
• Colonel September 07

First Lieutenant Marc P. Vanderhoof

First Lieutenant Marc P. Vanderhoof is the Operations Flight Commander, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies and Recruiting Officer for the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. In this capacity, Lt Vanderhoof recruits, trains, and motivates highly-qualified young men and women as prospective officers and instructs the freshman-level course on the Foundations of the US Air Force.

Lt Vanderhoof is originally from Vermont and began his career in the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of New Hampshire, where he earned his commission in the United States Air Force. Prior to his current assignment, Lt Vanderhoof served as a Developmental Engineer at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio.

Education

• 2009 Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering, University of New Hampshire

Assignments

1. 2004 - 2009, Student, University of New Hampshire, ROTC, Durham, New Hampshire
2. 2009 - 2012, Developmental Engineer, F-22 System Program Office, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio
3. 2012 - Present, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Norwich University, Northfield, VT

Major Awards and Decorations

• Air Force Achievement Medal

Effective Dates of Promotion

• Second Lieutenant 21 Aug 2009
• First Lieutenant 21 Aug 2011

Lieutenant Colonel Christine Klink

Lt Col Christine Klink is the Operations Officer and the Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies at Norwich University, Vermont. She instructs senior-level courses in National Security Affairs and Leadership and recruits, trains, motivates and counsels highly-qualified young men and women as prospective Air Force officers. She directs scholarship processing and manages commander's support staff actions for unit personnel and cadets. She serves on the Norwich University Faculty Senate, Advisory, and Politi Scholarship Committees and is the Advisor for Norwich Cavalry Troop.

Lt Col Klink's distinguished Air Force career began in 1982 where she enlisted to serve as a Staff Administrator, 606th Tactical Control Squadron (USAFE), Basdahl COM, GE and HQ 12th Air Force Personnel (TAC), Bergstrom AFB, TX. Lt Col Klink transferred to the Air Force Reserve, 85th Aerial Port Squadron, Hanscom AFB MA, as an Aerial Transportation Logistician where she volunteered to support many active duty missions including humanitarian Operation PROVIDE COMFORT at Incirlik AFB, Turkey. She was commissioned in 1994 under the Deserving Airman Program as the Executive Officer, 439th Operations Group, Westover Air Reserve Base, MA. Beyond her normal scope of duties, she was dedicated to the Junior Officer Leadership Development Seminar programs regionally, nationally, and internationally. In October 2001, Lt Col Klink was serving in her civilian capacity as Emergency Operations Center Manager, Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance, US Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington DC where she supported humanitarian operations for the early 2001 GUJARAT INDIA and EL SALVADOR earthquakes and September 11, 2001 attacks, soon after which she was mobilized with the 439th AW to support Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and NOBLE EAGLE. During mobilization she was hand-selected to deploy to the Air Staff Operations, and the Chief of Air Force Reserve appointed her as an Active Guard and Reservist (AGR) in the position of Chief, Mobilization and Crisis Action Team, providing crisis action leadership for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Her operational expertise led to an Air Staff assignment in the Reserve Personnel Directorate as the Deputy Chief of Readiness and Participation; and subsequently as the Chief of Officer Developmental Education and Joint Officer Management Policy assessing and managing Force Development and Utilization policies. The Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), The Joint Staff, Washington, DC, then selected her for assignment to the Middle East Region, as an Politico-Military Planner, preparing political-military recommendations for US senior military leaders and the Chairman Joint Chiefs Staff (CJCS) interagency (SECDEF, SECSTATE and POTUS) and international engagements relative to US national military strategy, force requirements, and bilateral cooperation in the Middle East. She deployed by invitation of the Assistant CJCS and the US Security Coordinator (USSC) for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, US Consulate Jerusalem, who appointed her as Deputy Chief of USSC Plans, responsible for providing and advancing strategies to transform and professionalize the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF) as well as developing strategic plans and policies for Levant region to support the President's Special Envoy for Middle East Peace (SEMEP).

Lt Col Klink holds a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy with specialization in international security and negotiation/conflict resolution fields from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, MA and a Bachelor's degree from Notre Dame College, Manchester, NH. She is a graduate of Officer Candidate School, Squadron Officers School, Command and Staff College and was Command selected as a delegate to the International Officer Leadership Development Seminar at the Royal Dutch Military Academy in Breda, Netherlands.

Education

• 1982 Staff Support Administrative Specialist Technical School, Keesler AFB, MS
• 1984 NCO Preparatory Academy, Sembach AB, Germany
• 1989 Associates of Science in Administration, Southern New Hampshire University, Hooksett, NH
• 1989 Aerial Port Air Cargo Specialist Technical Training, Dobbins AFB, GA
• 1991 Bachelor of Arts in Management and Administration, Notre Dame College, Manchester, NH
• 1994 Officer Candidate School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
• 1997 U.S. Delegate to International Junior Officer Leadership Development Seminar, Royal Dutch Military Academy, Breda, the Netherlands
• 1997 German Immersion Program, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
• 1999 Master of Arts, Law and Diplomacy in the international fields of security, and negotiation and conflict resolution, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, MA
• 2000 International Field Work and Disaster Response Seminars, USAID/BHR/OFDA, Washington DC
• 2001 Center for Disease Control Bioterrorism Course, Washington DC
• 2001 Field Communications Training, USAID/BHR/OFDA, Washington DC
• 2002 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
• 2006 Manpower and Personnel Officer Course, Keesler AFB, MS
• 2006 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL

Assignments

1. January 1983 - February 1985, Staff Support Administrator (Communications Branch 1983-84, Maintenance Branch 1984-85), Emergency Actions Team Manager, Disaster Preparedness Mobility Manager, Readiness Exercise Evaluator, 606th Tactical Control Squadron (USAFE), Basdahl COM, GE
2. February 1985 - May 1986, Staff Support Administrator, Awards and Decorations Manager, HQ 12th Air Force Personnel (TAC), Bergstrom AFB, TX
3. August 1988 - August 1994, Air Cargo Supervisor Ramp Services, Security NCO, 85th Aerial Port Squadron, Hanscom AFB, MA
4. August 1994 - October 2002, Command and Control Operations Adjutant (Operations Executive Officer), 439th Operations Group, Westover ARB, MA
5. October 2002 - August 2003, Chief, Mobilization and Crisis Action Team, HQ Air Force Reserve Operations, Pentagon, Washington, DC
6. August 2003 - August 2004, Assistant Chief Readiness and Participation Policy, HQ Air Force Reserve Personnel, Washington, DC
7. August 2004 - May 2007, Chief Officer Developmental Education and Joint Officer Management Policy, HQ Air Force Reserve Personnel, Washington, DC
8. May 2007 - July 2009, Arabian Peninsula Politico-Military Planner, Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), The Joint Staff, Washington, DC
9. July 2009 - July 2010, Middle East Levant Politico-Military Planer, Directorate of Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5), The Joint Staff, Washington, DC
10. June 2010 - Present, Assistant Professor Aerospace Studies, Norwich University, VT

Special Assignments

• Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) Rotation - July 2009 - January 2010 Deputy Chief of Plans, US Security Coordinator (USSC), US Consulate Jerusalem
• Junior Officer Leadership Development Seminars (JOLDS):
  • U.S. Facilitator/Instructor (1996-2000)
  • Seminar Director (Westover MA 1996)
  • International Delegate Royal Dutch Military Academy (Netherlands 1997)
  • National Strategic Planner (Biloxi MS 1997)
  • National Conference Delegate (Washington D.C. 1995)

Major Awards and Decorations

• Defense Meritorious Service Medal one oak leaf cluster
• Meritorious Service Medal one oak leaf cluster
• Air Force Commendation Medal one oak leaf cluster
• Air Force Achievement Medal
• Joint Meritorious Unit Award one oak leaf cluster
• Air Force Outstanding Unit Award two oak leaf clusters
• AF Good Conduct Medal
• Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal one oak leaf cluster
• National Defense Service Medal with service star
• Southwest Asia Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Medal
• AF Overseas Long Tour Ribbon
• AF Longevity Service Awards four oak leaf clusters
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass and 2 'M' devices
• AF NCO PME Graduation Ribbon
• AF Training Ribbon one oak cluster

Effective Dates of Promotion

• Second Lieutenant August 24, 1994
• First Lieutenant August 24, 1996
• Captain September 30, 1999
• Major September 30, 2003
• Lieutenant Colonel September 30, 2008

Technical Sergeant Shannon K. M. Peirano

Sergeant Peirano is the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of Personnel for Air Force ROTC Detachment 867. In this capacity, Sergeant Peirano manages personnel records for seven cadre, one AFIT student, one Norwich University employee, and 185 AFROTC cadets. She also monitors/updates all cadet pay actions-tuition, fees, subsistence/textbook funds in excess of $1.2M annually. Sergeant Peirano oversees cadet life-cycle personnel actions-medical, physical, enlistments, categorization and the cadet commissioning process.

Sergeant Peirano is a native of Buffalo, NY. She entered the USAF in March 1999. As a career personnelist, she has served in numerous positions including the NCOIC of Personnel Executive Support at the 15 Airlift Wing Headquarters, and NCOIC for personnel accountability for the 506th AEG, Joint Base Kirkuk (OIF), Iraq.

Sergeant Peirano is married and has a son and a daughter.

Education

• 1999 Graduated Hamburg High School, Hamburg, NY
• 2001 Technical Technical College, Charleston, SC
• 2002 City College of Chicago Charleston AFB, SC
• 2003 University of Maryland, Osan AB, ROK
• 2004 Central Texas College, Osan AB, ROK
• 2005 Associates Degree (Community College of the Air Force), Resource Management/Personnel Administration

Assignments

1. Mar - May 1999, Basic Training, Lackland AFB, TX
2. May - Jun 1999, Student, Technical Training, Keesler AFB, MS
3. Jun 1999 - May 2003, Personnel Journeyman, Orderly Rm., Charleston AFB, SC
4. May 2003 - May 2004, Asst NCOIC, Commander's Support Staff, Osan AFB, ROK
5. May 2004 - Sep 2006, NCOIC, Commander's Support Staff, Hickam AFB, HI
6. Sep 2006 - Jul 2007, NCOIC, Personnel Employment, Hickam AFB, HI
7. Jul 2007 - Sep 2009, NCOIC, Promotions and Special Actions, Hickam AFB, HI
8. Sep 2009 - May 2010, NCOIC, Personnel Executive Support, Hickam AFB, HI
9. May 2010 - Present, NCOIC, AFROTC/Det 867, Norwich University, Northfield, VT

Major Awards and Decorations

• Air Force Commendation Medal 2OLC
• Air Force Achievement Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Korean Defense Service Medal
• Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short
• Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long

Effective Dates of Promotion

• Airman Basic - 4 Mar 1999
• Airman - 4 Sep 2009
• Airman First Class - 4 Jul 2000
• Senior Airman - 4 Mar 2002
• Staff Sergeant - 1 Feb 2004
• Technical Sergeant - 1 Mar 2009

Technical Sergeant Taris Jackson-Little

Technical Sergeant Jackson-Little is the Knowledge Operations Manager (KOM), Detachment 867, Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont. She also monitors/updates all cadet medical, physical—tuition, fees, subsistence/textbook funds in excess of $1.2M annually. Sergeant Jackson-Little oversees cadet life-cycle personnel actions—medical, physical, enlistments, categorization and the cadet commissioning process.

Sergeant Jackson-Little is a native of Hampton, VA. She entered the USAF in 1994. As a career Knowledge Operations Manager, she has served in numerous positions including a duty as the Client Support Administrator Team Leader at Charleston AFB, SC and assistant NCOIC of the Operations Group Command Staff.

Her military decorations include the Air Force Achievement Medal, Korean Defense Service Medal, and Air Force Overseas Ribbon Short.

Sergeant Jackson-Little has a daughter and a son.

Education

• Jan 92 - May 93 Thomas Nelson Community College
• Nov 00 Air Force Airman Leadership School, Information Resources Management
• Nov 11 - Dec 11 NCO Academy
• Aug 30 - Present Ashford University

Assignments

1. Apr 94 - Jun 96 Information Specialist, Bolling, Washington, DC
2. Jun 96 - Jun 97 Systems Integration Sec Administration, Bolling, Washington, DC
3. Jun 97 - Jun 98 Unit Information Manager, OSAN, South Korea
4. Jun 98 - Mar 00 Assistant NCIOC, Information Management, Los Angeles AFS, CA
5. Mar 00 - Sep 02 NCIOC Personnel Programs, Los Angeles AFS, CA
6. Sep 02 - Dec 02 Workgroup Management Journeyman, Los Angeles AFS, CA
7. Dec 02 - Jan 03 Information Management Journeyman, Charleston AFB, SC
8. Jan 03 - Jun 05 Data Administration Specialist, Charleston AFB, SC
9. Jun 05 - Jan 07 Data Administration Specialist, Charleston AFB, SC
10. Jan 07 - Jul 08 Client Support Administration TM Leader, Charleston AFB, SC
11. Jul 08 - Jul 09 Assistant NCIOC, OG/CCA, Charleston AFB, SC
12. Jul 09 - Present Knowledge Operations Management (KOM), AFROTC/Det 867, Northfield, VT

Effective Dates of Promotion

• 03 Jan 94 Airman Basic
• 03 Jul 94 Airman
• 03 Mar 95 Airman First Class
• 03 Jan 97 Senior Airman
• 01 Nov 00 Staff Sergeant
• 01 Aug 10 TSgt Sergeant