Colonel Tiger is from Ogdensburg, New York. He graduated from Norwich University in 1998 with a History degree and was commissioned through the Platoon Leaders Course. He was designated an F/A-18 Weapons Systems Officer in 2000 and re-designated an F/A-18 pilot in 2007.
Colonel Tiger served multiple tours with VMFA(AW)- 533 in Beaufort, SC and VMFAT-101 in Miramar, CA. He participated in Operations Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom, and completed several deployments to Asia as part of the Unit Deployment Program. He amassed 2,600 hours in the F/A-18 and 450 hours in the F-5 while flying with allies and partners from Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain and Thailand.
Colonel Tiger served multiple tours as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer and as an Operations Officer at home and overseas. He also commanded VMFT-401 in Yuma, Arizona where he led the Marine Corps’ only aggressor squadron against F-15, F-16, F/A-18, F-22 and F-35 squadrons. The squadron also supported multiple Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) courses and Marine Division Tactics Courses (MDTC) sponsored by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1).
Colonel Tiger graduated with honors from the Naval War College in 2015, and was awarded a Master’s Degree in strategy. He also graduated with distinction from the Army War College in 2019, where he was selected to participate in the Advanced Strategic Art Program (ASAP) and was also awarded a Master’s Degree in strategy. Additionally, he completed a Master’s Degree in World War II from the American Military University in 2012. Colonel Tiger is also a graduate of the Marine Division Tactics Course.
Colonel Tiger recently completed a two-year tour on the Joint Staff, J-35 as the Contingency Plans Development and Assessment Branch Chief and as the Policy, Programs & Technology Division Chief. His most recent assignment was as the Assistant Chief of Staff/G-7 for Marine Forces Command in Norfolk, VA.
Colonel Tiger is married to the former Rusanne McClain of Buckhannon, West Virginia.