Commander John Gustine
CDR Gustine served as the Missile and Space Domain Chief Instructor; Missile and Space Domain Chief; Missile and Space Domain Deputy and Crew Training Officer for multiple crews assigned to the NORAD and U. S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) Current Operations Center, HQ NORAD, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. As a Missile and Space Domain Deputy, he assessed over 198 missile events, prosecuted 60 periods of interest, and conducted 300+ exercises with multiple space agencies. He participated in multiple National Event Conferences, National Threat Conferences, Missile Threat Conferences, Senior Leader Conferences, and Nuclear Decision Conferences representing the NORAD & USNORTHCOM Current-Operations Center (N2C2) Command leadership. As Missile and Space Domain Chief, CDR Gustine led a domain that characterizes missile events and relays to national authorities Commander, NORAD and USNORTHCOM missile attack assessments and is a key component of the USNORTHCOM Mobile Consolidated Command Center mission. Additionally, he monitors the system integrity of the $1.8 billion strategic and theater missile warning systems, assuring continuous warning coverage and notification to national and military senior leaders. CDR Gustine graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point New York, and commissioned in June of 2004 to begin Naval Flight Officer training in Pensacola, Florida. He graduated VT-4/VT-86 flight training and earned his NFO “Wings of Gold” in April 2006 and selected to fly the EA-6B Prowler. After completing training at Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ)-129 at NAS Whidbey Island in 2007, CDR Gustine deployed to Bagram, Afghanistan in 2007, 2008 and 2009 in support of OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, supporting over 200 combat missions over Afghanistan, totaling 794.2 flight hours in support of CJSOTF operations. From August 2014 to June 2015, CDR Gustine deployed with the VAQ-139 “Cougars” aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in support of OPERATION INHEREANT RESOLVE, supporting over twenty combat missions over Iraq and Syria, totaling 141.9 combat flight hours. CDR Gustine has accumulated over 2,800 flight hours in 8 naval aircraft with over 350 arrested landings on 5 aircraft carriers including more than 230 combat missions. His awards include an Individual Air Medal (1), the Strike/Flight Air Medal (11), Navy Commendation Medal (2), Navy Achievement Medal (2), and various service awards and ribbons.
Click here to view all the awardees from the 2020 NORAD & USNORTHCOM Missile Warning and Defender of the Year Award Ceremony.
