Major Troy Taylor serves as the Deputy Department Head and Assistant Professor, Department of Law, United States Air Force Academy, where he teaches Law for Air Force Officers, the Department’s only core course.

Major Taylor hails from Duncanville, Texas.  In December 2006, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Portuguese.  Major Taylor then attended the University of Houston Law Center, where he commissioned as an officer in May 2010 through the One-Year College Program, participating in the University of Houston Air Force ROTC program.  During law school, Major Taylor served as a summer term clerk to the Honorable Xavier Rodriguez, United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.

Throughout his career, Major Taylor has served in a variety of roles in the Air Force JAG Corps—as an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, an Area Defense Counsel, a Medical Law Consultant, a Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, and a  Staff Judge Advocate.  Further, Major Taylor has deployed to Afghanistan in support of Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435, and to Stuttgart, Germany in support of Special Operations Command-Africa.  He is admitted to practice law before the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

Bachelor of Arts, Portuguese, University of Texas at Austin

Juris Doctor, University of Houston Law Center

Squadron Officer School

Master of Arts, Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL

Deputy Department Head, Assistant Professor, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2022 – present)

Staff Judge Advocate, 71^st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, OK (2020-2022)

Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL (2019-2020)

Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, 30^th Space Wing, Vandenberg AFB, CA (2017-2019)

Medical Law Consultant, 59^th Medical Wing, JBSA-Lackland, TX (2015-2017)

Area Defense Counsel, 20^th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, SC (2013-2015)

Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, 20^th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, SC (2011-2013)

Meritorious Service Medal (2 OLCs)

Joint Commendation Medal

Joint Achievement Medal

Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon

59^th Medical Wing Staff Agencies CGO of the Year (2015)

59^th Medical Wing Staff Agencies CGO of the Year (2016)

30^th Space Wing Staff Agencies FGO of the Year (2018)

U.S. Air Force Space Command Outstanding Young JAG of the Year (Kuhfeld) (2018)