Matthew Guasco

Lieutenant Colonel Matt Guasco, Ph.D., recently served as the Commander of the 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. In this role, he oversaw a squadron of ninety active duty, contractors, and civilian personnel who direct and execute operational tests, tactics development, and weapon system evaluations for the B-52H Stratofortress. In addition, his responsibilities included managing and executing the Air Force's Nuclear Weapons System Evaluation Program, validating the entire U.S. inventory of aircraft-delivered nuclear weapons.

He was commissioned in 2004 through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Air Force ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) program where he majored in Human Factors Ergonomics. He is a Command Pilot and United Stated Air Force Weapons School Graduate/Instructor with over 2300 hours in the B-52 including numerous nuclear and conventional deterrence missions. His staff experience includes a one-year remote assignment to the Republic of Korea as the 607th Air Operations Center's Strategy Plans Team Chief where he was responsible for developing integrated air operations plans across the Joint Force.

Lieutenant Colonel Guasco is a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (Capella University) and holds master's degrees in Aeronautical Science (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University), Military Operational Art and Science (United States Air Force's Air University), and Operational Studies (School of Advanced Warfighting, Marine Corps University). His research interests include leadership/mentorship, motivation, deterrence theory, the design of coercive air campaigns, and strategies for preventing nuclear escalation.