Effective Dates of Promotion
| Second Lieutenant | Dec. 15, 2006 |
| First Lieutenant | Dec. 26, 2008 |
| Captain | Dec. 26, 2010 |
| Major | Dec. 1, 2016 |
| Lieutenant Colonel | Apr. 1, 2021 |
Detachment Commander
Lieutenant Colonel Eric M. Lopez
Lt. Col. Eric M. Lopez is the Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 250 at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, home of the “Cyclones”. As professor and chair of the university’s Aerospace Studies Department, he is responsible for recruiting and the comprehensive military education of officer candidates from four universities.
Lt. Col. Lopez was commissioned in 2006 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Georgia. His operational experience includes combat mission ready status with the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile and Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications weapon systems. He has held numerous leadership positions at the squadron, group and major command staff levels to include being the Deputy Branch Chief of the United States Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa Command Center.
Education
| 2006 | Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, University of Georgia |
| 2007 | Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. |
| 2010 | Squadron Officer School, by correspondence. |
| 2012 | Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. |
| 2013 | Master of Arts, Administrative Leadership, University of Oklahoma, by correspondence |
| 2017 | Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence |
| 2020 | Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. |
| 2020 | Master of Arts, Military Operational Art and Science, Air University |
| 2022 | 2022 Air War College, by correspondence |
Awards and Decorations
- Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
- Air Force Commendation Medal
- Air Force Achievement Medal
- Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
- Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with “N” Device and two oak leaf clusters
Operational Information
Badges: Senior Missile Operations, Basic Space Operations
Hours: 5,388
Systems: LGM030G, AN/USQ-255
Assignments
- January 2007-August 2007, Deputy Chief of Information Operations, 479th Operations Support Squadron, Moody AFB, GA.
- August 2007-April 2008, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 84th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, TX.
- April 2008-February 2009, Student, Space 100 and ICBM Operations Training, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
- February 2009-February 2010, Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander, 319th Missile Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, WY.
- February 2010-December 2010, Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander Instructor, 90th Operations Support Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, WY.
- December 2010-October 2011, Missile Combat Crew Commander and Assistant Flight Commander, 319th Missile Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, WY.
- October 2011-July 2012, Chief of ICBM Evaluation Scenarios, 90th Operations Group, F.E. Warren AFB, WY.
- July 2012-May 2013, Flight Commander, 320th Missile Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, WY.
- May 2013-July 2014, Chief of ICBM Codes Training, 90th Operations Support Squadron, F.E. Warren AFB, WY.
- July 2014-January 2017, Instructor and Assistant Director of Operations, 532d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA.
- January 2017-July 2019, Deputy Chief, Nuclear Operations Branch, United States Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, GE.
- July 2019-July 2020, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL.
- July 2020-June 2021, Assistant Director of Operations, 741st Missile Squadron, Minot AFB, ND.
- June 2021-June 2022, Director of Operations, 741st Missile Squadron, Minot AFB, ND.
- June 2022-Present, Commander, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 250, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.