Colonel Stephen G. Lyon

Colonel Stephen G. Lyon is the Commander of Space Delta 15, Director of the National Space Defense Center and Director of Operations, Joint Task Force-Space Defense, Schriever Space Force Base, Colo. He, with mission partners across the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, ensures synchronization and unified action in the space warfighting domain to conduct space superiority operations in order to deter aggression against the U.S. and allies, to protect and defend space capabilities and to defeat our adversaries throughout the continuum of conflict. Col. Lyon enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on January 31, 1992 at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.  He was an enlisted space operator for nine years with assignments in satellite command and control, space and ground-based missile warning, and passive space surveillance.

He received his commission in 2002 from the Reserve Officer Training Program as a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.  He has served as a combat crew commander,  senior crew instructor, and flight commander on the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, the director of operations for the Canadian Space Operations Center, deputy chief, combat operations division at the Joint Space Operations Center, and command at the National Reconnaissance Office’s Aerospace Data Facility - Southwest. Prior to his current position, Col. Lyon was the Director Force Assessments, Chief Operations Office, United States Space Force.  Colonel Lyon is a master space operator and has deployed twice in support of  Operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM.   

EDUCATION 
1997 Airman Leadership School, Beale Air Force Base, Calif. 
1999 Associates in Space Operations Technology, Community College of the Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 1999 Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Ariz. 
2003 Outstanding Academic Performer, Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
2007 Masters of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla. 
2007 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 
2008 United States Air Force Weapons School 
2012 Air Command and Staff College Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 
2014 Joint Command and Staff Programme, Canadian Forces College, Canada 
2014 Masters of Defence Studies, Royal Military College of Canada, Canada 
2020 Masters of National Security Strategy, National War College, Washington D.C. 

ASSIGNMENTS 
1.    July 2002–February 2003, Student, 392nd Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2.    February 2003–July 2007, Missile Combat Crew Commander, Senior Deputy Instructor, Flight Commander, 341st Space Wing, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
3.    July 2007–June 2011, Mission Director, Chief of Standardization & Evaluation, Chief of Weapons & Tactics, 3rd Space Experimentation Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo. 
4.    June 2011–July 2013, Flight Commander, Assistant Director of Operations, 328th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
5.    July 2013–July 2014, Student, Canadian Command and Staff Programme, Royal Military College of Canada
6.    July 2014–May 2016, Director of Operations, Canadian Space Operations Centre, Canada
7.    May 2016–June 2017, Deputy Chief, Combat Operations Division, Joint Space Operations Center 614th Air Operations Center, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
8.    July 2017–June 2019, Commander, Space Operations Squadron, Aerospace Data Facility Southwest, National Reconnaissance Office, N.M.
9.    June 2019–June 2020, Student, National War College
10.    June 2020–June 2022, Director Force Assessments, Chief Operations Office, United States Space Force
11.    June 2022–Present, Director, National Space Defense Center and Director of Operations, Joint Task Force-Space Defense, USSPACECOM, Schriever SFB, Colo.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 
1.    May 2016–June 2017, Deputy Chief, Combat Operations Division, Joint Space Operations Center 614th Air Operations Center, Vandenberg AFB, Calif., as a lieutenant colonel
2.    June 2022–Present, Director, National Space Defense Center and Director of Operations, Joint Task Force-Space Defense, Schriever SFB, Colo., as a colonel

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS 
Bronze Star Medal 
Defense Meritorious Service Medal 
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters 
Air Force Commendation Medal with five oak leaf clusters 
Air Force Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters 
Combat Readiness Medal 
Afghanistan Campaign Medal 
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal 
Air & Space Campaign Medal 
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal 
NATO Medal 

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 
1997 John L. Levitow Award, Airman Leadership School 
1997 Air Force Space Command Enlisted Space Operator of the Year 
2003 Distinguished Graduate, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Initial Qualification Course 2004 341SW Instructor of the Year 
2007 Schriever Air Force Base Company Grade Officer of the Year 

EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION 
Airman Basic January 31,1992 
Airman July 31,1992 
Airman First Class May 31, 1993 
Senior Airman January 31, 1995 
Staff Sergeant July 1, 1998 
Second Lieutenant June 29, 2002 
First Lieutenant June 29, 2004 
Captain June 29, 2006 
Major September 1, 2012 
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2016 
Colonel March 25, 2021  

(Current as of March 2023)