Colonel Richard Tucker

COL Richard Tucker is a graduate of the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, where he was commissioned in 1998. He is married to Stephanie Tucker of St. Petersburg, FL with two daughters, Lauren and Alyssa.

Tucker’s key command assignments include HHC/82nd Aviation Brigade in Fort Bragg (known as Fort Liberty since 2023), North Carolina; 1-228th Aviation Regiment, Joint Task Force-Bravo, in Honduras, Haiti, and Central America; Deputy Brigade Commander for 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade in the Republic of Korea; and Brigade Commander for 1st Aviation Brigade at Fort Rucker (known as Fort Novosel since 2023), AL.

Tucker’s key staff assignments include Aide-de-Camp for the Assistant Division Commander, 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, Bosnia, Egypt, and Coalition Joint Task Force – Kuwait; Assistant S3 with 1-17 Cavalry Regiment in Iraq; Battalion Task Force S3 and Executive Officer with 2-10th Assault Helicopter Battalion at Fort Drum, New York, and Afghanistan; Brigade Executive Officer and S3 for 10th Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Drum, New York and Afghanistan; J372, Theater Security Cooperation Exercises, for US Pacific Command at Camp H.M. Smith, Hawaii and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, ASEAN); Chief, Commander’s Initiatives Group and Director, G5, for the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker.

Major deployment history includes Stabilization Force (Bosnia and Herzegovina), 2000; Multinational Force Observers (Egypt), 2001; Operation Southern Watch (Kuwait), 2001; Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq), 2006-2007; Operation Enduring Freedom X (Afghanistan), 2010-2011; Operation Enduring Freedom XIII (Afghanistan), 2013-2014; Joint Task Force Matthew (Haiti), 2016; and Joint Task Force-Bravo (Central America), 2016-2017.

Tucker holds a master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Human Resource Management from Appalachian State University, and a Master’s Degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. He is also a graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College. He is rated in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and UH-60A/L/M Blackhawk helicopters. Tucker also holds a civilian, single engine fixed wing license and is a commercial, instrument rated rotary-wing pilot. He is a Master Army Aviator and a Senior Parachutist.

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal (2), Defense Meritorious Service Medal (2), Meritorious Service Medal (5), Air Medal with Valor (2), Air Medal (2), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (2), Army Achievement Medal (3), National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (3 STARS), Iraq Campaign Medal (2 STARS), Korea Defense Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation (2), and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award (2). He has been awarded the Combat Action Badge, Master Aviator Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Order of Saint Michael Silver Award. His foreign awards include the Polish Parachutist Badge, Chilean Parachutist Badge, and Republic of Korea Master Aviator Badge.