Justin Nakamura, Col, Air Force (USA) 

Chief of Administration

   Col Justin T. Nakamura is the Chief of Administration at the Inter-American Defense College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. As the senior U.S. operations, personnel, resource management, and information management officer on the international staff, he advises the Director, IADC and 200 international staff members and students on efforts involving administrative matters, to include employment laws, regulations, contracts, and benefits. The colonel also develops strategic level administrative, personnel and logistics guidance in support of the Organization of American States, Inter-American Defense Board, College, and U.S. policies. He leads a multi-service and international directorate, providing administrative and personnel services to over 200 senior international military and civilian personnel from 34 member nations of the Western Hemisphere, and is responsible for communication and coordination with U.S. Department of State, and United States Southern Command.

   Col Nakamura earned his commission from the United States Air Force Officer Training School in 2005. Highlights of his career include serving as Deputy Commander in Djibouti to the 449th Air Expeditionary Group, G-20 Summit Operational Lead in Uruguay to the 474th Air Expeditionary Group, U-28A Joint Task Force Liaison Officer and Operations Officer to the 34th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, and EC- 130H Liaison Officer to Multi-National Corps-Iraq with the 43rd Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron. Prior to assuming his current position, Col Nakamura served as the Assistant Chief of Staff to the Northeast and South Asia Regional Directorates at Joint Interagency Task Force West, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii.

   Col Nakamura is a Senior Foreign Area Officer and Senior Combat Systems Officer with more than 200 combat sorties and has served nine deployed tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

EDUCATION

2001 Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Western Oregon University, Monmouth, Ore.

2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

2013 Master of Business Administration, Columbia Southern University, Orange Beach, Ala.

2017 Associate of Arts degree in Language, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, Monterey, Calif.

2018 Master of Arts in National Security Affairs, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.

2018 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

2019 Foreign Area Officer Fellowship, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.

2021 Air War College, by correspondence, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

1. June 2023 – June 2026, Assistant Chief of Staff – Northeast & South Asia Regional Directorates, Joint Interagency Task Force West, Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii, as a lieutenant colonel

2. June 2026 – Present, Chief of Administration, Inter-American Defense College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., as a colonel

FLIGHT INFORMATION

Rating: Senior Combat Systems Officer

Flight Hours: More than 2,200 (1,500+ combat hours) Aircraft: T-43, T-1A, EC-130H, and U-28A

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air Medal with ten oak leaf clusters

Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant May 20, 2005

First Lieutenant May 20, 2007

Captain May 20, 2009

Major July 1, 2015

Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 2020

Colonel May 1, 2026

(Current as of September 2026)