PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. -- U.S. Space Force Col. Raj Agrawal assumed command of Delta 2-Space Domain Awareness Friday, June 23, 2023, at Peterson Space Force Base.
During the Change of Command ceremony, DEL2’s outgoing commander, Col. Marc A. Brock, relinquished the ceremonial guidon to Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander, Space Operations Command, who then passed it to Col. Agrawal, symbolizing the transfer of authority.
“Under your guidance, Marc, Delta 2 has achieved remarkable milestones, exemplifying Character, Connection, Commitment and Courage in all the Sentinels do,” explained Lt. Gen. Whiting. “Your team’s diligent efforts have ensured the safety and security of our space assets, and for that, we are truly grateful.”
During Brock’s two years in command, DEL2 activated the 19th Space Defense Squadron at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, Virginia, the 15th Space Surveillance Squadron on Maui Island, Hawaii, and the 18th Space Defense Squadron at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado.
For these achievements and his extensive contributions to the Space Force, Brock was awarded the Legion of Merit.
“As a visionary commander, [Brock] led his team to adapt operations toward providing effects to close the kill chain, establishing three new units which postured the Space Force to support space superiority, identify threats out to lunar orbits and beyond, and rapidly transition cutting-edge research and development capabilities into operations,” Whiting said. “These, and many more efforts, directly resulted in Space Delta 2’s recognition as Space Operations Command’s 2021 Spacepower Discipline Delta of the Year.”
In taking the podium for his last official duty as DEL2’s commander, Brock personally thanked the different squadrons, detachments and operation locations around the globe for their dedication to the mission.
“All these successes and many more are a credit to the amazing Guardians, Airmen, allied partners, civilians and contractors within Space Delta 2,” Brock said.
In his closing remarks, Brock thanked his family for their patience and enduring loyalty over the past two years.
“Thank you for being patient with the job, the long hours, the working on weekends, the after-hour phone calls, the schedule, the constant change and intense travel, and my poor communication about all of it,” Brock said. “Thank you for coming along on this journey, I couldn’t have done this without you.”
After receiving the DEL2 guidon from Lt. Gen. Whiting, Col. Agrawal thanked those in attendance for their support and shared his commitment to sustain and evolve Space Domain Awareness.
“I’m committed to build on the legacy of previous commanders of the 21st Space Wing and Operations Group,” Agrawal said. “[I] will honor Col Matt Cantore’s leadership in standing up Space Delta 2 and Col Marc Brock’s vision of posturing Delta 2 as part of an operational kill chain.”
Agrawal, who most recently served in support of the Combined Joint Task Force-Space Operations, has also served as the commander for the 20th Space Control Squadron, the chief of Space Control Division for the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, and the Chief of International Affairs Space Division in the Office of the Chief of Space Operations.
Agrawal explained that his vision for DEL2 is to create an environment of “Guardians and Airmen who turn understanding into opportunity.”
Space Delta 2 builds combat-ready forces who operationalize Space Domain Awareness to identify, characterize, and exploit opportunities and mitigate vulnerabilities in the national security space terrain.
Space Delta 2 is headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, with mission personnel and functions spread across Vandenberg Space Force Base, California; Eglin Air Force Base, Florida; Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; Maui, Hawaii, Huntsville, Alabama; and Dahlgren, Virginia, in addition to multiple supporting locations around the world including Australia, Diego Garcia, and the Marshall Islands.