DEL 5 ISRD operations superintendent wins William O. Studeman award

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Luke Kitterman
  • Combined Force Space Component Command Public Affairs

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. – A Space Delta 5 (DEL 5) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Division (ISRD) operations superintendent recently was notified of their accomplishment of winning the William O. Studeman award early this month.

The winner, U.S. Space Force Master Sgt. Josef Margetiak, was selected for this award amongst early- and mid-career military members across the DoD for his contributions over the last 3-to-5 years to his unit’s mission, intelligence and national security communities, and national level impacts.

“ISRD provides timely, all-source analysis on adversary activities around the world,” Margetiak said. “We provide signals analysis, imagery support, targeting options to combatant commands, intel support to floor operations, and perhaps one of the most important roles, actively sharing information with our coalition partners and supporting their missions.”

Margetiak, who was in the Air Force for 16 years before transitioning to the Space Force about two years ago, contributes his achievement to his time overseeing ISRD’s Electronic Warfare team and the Analysis, Correlation and Fusion team as he states, the work accomplished on those teams resonated not only locally but had far reaching impacts across multiple combatant commands.

“We uncovered new adversary electronic warfare sites, identified a new enemy offensive capability, and helped affect change in Remote Piloted Aircraft Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures.”

“We also supported numerous coalition intelligence requirements and operations, delivered congressional talking points to the Chief of Space Operations, presented Vice President Kamala Harris a comprehensive overview of a destructive antisatellite test, and provided significant support throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict.”

That diverse work spanning multiple years met all the criteria for the organization and presenter of the award, the Intelligence and National Security Alliance (INSA) - a non-profit organization focused on bringing leaders from public and private sectors to overcome national security challenges and discuss intelligence community concerns.

“Master Sergeant Margetiak’s innovation and hard work are amplified by stellar leadership skills so that he’s able to create teams that produce results far greater than the sum of their parts” said U.S. Space Force Col. Phillip Verroco, DEL 5 commander and the Combined Space Operations Center director. “The superior work of the ISRD is a source of great pride for Delta 5 and the CSpOC and Master Sergeant Margetiak’s win is further validation of the tremendous talent in the division.”

Margetiak will officially be presented the national-level INSA William O. Studeman Military Award in February in Arlington, Va.

“Since I arrived here, I have been fortunate to work with some of the smartest and most talented Airmen and Guardians and my accolades are a direct result of the hard work that goes on within the ISRD,” Margetiak said.