Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas C. Frommelt is the Staff Judge Advocate for the Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. He provides full spectrum legal support to AEDC, which employs 3,000 personnel and comprises 68 aerospace test facilities across eight states. With facilities at Arnold Air Force Base in middle Tennessee, with operating locations at Ames Research Center, Mountain View and Edwards AFB, California; Peterson AFB, Colorado; Eglin AFB, Florida; the Federal Research Center at White Oak, Maryland; Holloman AFB, Kirtland AFB, and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, and Hill AFB, Utah, AEDC offers a suite of test capabilities to simulate speed, temperature, pressure and other parameters over a wide range to meet the needs of aerospace system developers. The test facilities simulate flight from subsonic to hypersonic speeds at altitudes from sea level to space.
Lieutenant Colonel Frommelt commissioned through Direct Appointment in January of 2009. He has served as Air Staff Counsel, Staff Judge Advocate, Executive Officer, and has deployed twice in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is admitted to practice in Illinois, as well the Court of Federal Claims, Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and US Supreme Court.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Apr 2009 – Aug 2011, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. (May 2010 – Nov 2010, Legal Advisor, Bagram, Afghanistan)
2. Aug 2011 – Jul 2013, Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, USAF Warfare Center, Nellis AFB, Nev. (August 2012 – February 2013, Legal Advisor, Kabul, Afghanistan)
3. Jul 2013 – Aug 2015, Deputy Chief, Federal Courts Branch and Executive Officer, Commercial Law and Litigation Directorate, AFLOA/JAQ, JB Andrews, Md.
4. Aug 2015 – Jun 2016, Student, The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, U.S. Army, Charlottesville, Va.
5. Jun 2016 – Jun 2017, Staff Judge Advocate, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Arlington, Va.
6. Jun 2017 – Jul 2019, Chief, Expeditionary Branch, AF/JAX, Office of The Judge Advocate General, Pentagon, DC
7. Jul 2019 – Jul 2021, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. Jul 2021 – Present, Staff Judge Advocate, Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold AFB, Tenn.
EDUCATION
2005 B.A., Philosophy, Political Science, magna cum laude, honors, Loyola University Chicago, Ill.
2008 J.D., University of Iowa College of Law, Iowa City, Iowa
2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 LL.M., Military Law (Contracts and Fiscal), The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, U.S. Army, Charlottesville, Va.
2018 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence)
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
2017 American Bar Association Outstanding Young Military Lawyer, United States Air Force
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
First Lieutenant, 11 January 2009
Captain, 11 July 2009
Major, 1 April 2016
Lieutenant Colonel, 1 June 2021
(Current as of July 2021)