Lt Col Mike Fiandt is the Professor of Aerospace Studies and Commander of Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 410, at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN. He is responsible for recruiting, educating, and training students from among fifteen universities and colleges for commissioning into the Air Force as second lieutenants.
Lt Col Fiandt was commissioned in 2003 as a distinguished graduate from the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, Detachment 930 at Marquette University. His career includes a variety of test and evaluation across multiple airborne platforms and C4ISR systems. He began his career with the 419th Flight Test Squadron (FLTS), Edwards AFB where he served as an operations engineer and test conductor for the B-52 and B-1 aircraft. He then changed assignments and worked with the 416th FLTS as a test conductor and flight test engineer on the F-16, T-38C, and F-15 aircraft where he conducted avionics, engine upgrade, targeting pod, weapons integration flight test, and flew in Red Flag Alaska demonstrating the newly fielded F-16 M4.2 avionics upgrade. He went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, then served as an Instructor of Astronautical Engineering and Executive Officer at the United States Air Force Academy from 2008-2010. Lt Col Fiandt was selected to attend the United States Air Force Test Pilot School, and upon graduation was assigned to the 46th Test Squadron, where he executed AC-130W Dragon Spear live munitions testing, assumed command of the Datalinks Test Flight, and served as the Assistant Director of Operations. While at the 46th Test Squadron, he deployed as the Deputy J5 and Force Manager for Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan (CJSOTF-A) at Bagram Airfield, where he assisted in the planning and implementation of CJSOTF-A’s drawdown in Afghanistan. He was then selected to attend and completed Intermediate Developmental Education at the US Marine Corps Command and Staff College. He followed with an assignment as the Program Element Monitor and Branch Chief for Tactical Datalinks and the Deputy Division Chief for Integration across a $25B portfolio of 75 C4ISR programs in the Information Dominance Programs Directorate (SAF/AQI), Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology & Logistics, Washington, D.C.
Prior to his current assignment, Lt Col Fiandt was Commander of the 46th Test Squadron, where he lead more than 220 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, serving as the Principal Air Force organization for Command and Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) developmental testing of kill chain relevant systems for the Air Force, Department of Defense and its allies.
Neptune RR, McGowan CP, Fiandt JM. The influence of muscle physiology and advanced technology on sports performance. Annu Rev Biomed Eng. 2009;11:81-107
Bronze Star
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal