PUBLISHER & EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Amy
Amy
SCHRIEVER SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. — After 30 years of unique space experience, U.S. Space Force Col. Stephen Lyon took the reins as the new director of the National Space Defense Center and the director of operations for the Joint Task Force-Space Defense here, July 11, 2022.
Lyon is affectionately known by his call sign, ‘C-Lyon,’ which he earned during his time at U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. “They made me sing! It sounded so bad they said I sounded like a sea lion, and just gave me the letter C.”
Lyon enlisted in the U.S. Air Force Jan. 31, 1992, at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He remained an enlisted space operator for nine years with assignments in satellite command and control, space and ground-based missile warning, and passive space surveillance.
“Starting out as a 19-year-old Airman Basic, I never in my wildest dreams though I would end up here,” said Lyon. “I’m very blessed to have been afforded the opportunities that I have, and I am where I am now because of the incredible mentors and teammates and who have helped me along the way.”
In 2000, Lyon worked for now, U.S. Space Force Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, the Chief of Space Operations.
“I was lucky enough to be assigned to Royal Air Force Feltwell as a staff sergeant, working for none other than the then, Lt. Col. Jay Raymond, as my squadron commander,” said Lyon, “At that time, space operations were really starting to come into their own.”
In 2002, Lyon earned his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Program as a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, but his path remained nonlinear.
In lieu of Air Command and Staff College, Lyon was one of only four American students selected to attend the Canadian Forces College as part of the Joint Command and Staff Programme at the Royal Military College of Canada.
Then, following his time as a student, he was invited to become the director of operations for Canadian Space Operations Centre (CANSpOC) as an exchange officer. During his time at CANSpOC, Lyon was able to view space directly through the lens of our allies.
“Spending time with an allies helped me understand that there are many ways to look a problem set,” said Lyon. “Now, I see how our allies look at space, and it
gives us insight on how to bring all of our organizations together to collectively protect and defend our nation’s assets.”
Additionally, Lyon had the unique opportunity to serve as the acting director for the CANSpOC. “In order to become a colonel in the Canadian military, you must be fluent in both English and French,” said Lyon. “So, I became the acting director of the CANSpOC while my Canadian counterpart, LCol James Peck, attended French Language School for eight months.”
Lyon has also served as a combat crew commander, senior crew instructor, and fl ight commander on the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, deputy chief, combat operations division at the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC), and squadron command at the National Reconnaissance Office’s Aerospace Data Facility - Southwest.
Having had a multitude of experience working with the U.S., Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, Lyon now brings his multinational experience to the JTF-SD and its NSDC.
Th roughout his years of space experience, Lyon has witnessed the metamorphosis of space to include, in his own words, the death and rebirth of U.S. Space Command, the demise of Air Force Space Command, and the establishment of the U.S. Space Force.
“Change has been constant throughout my career, but nothing like the last two years,” said Lyon. “We now talk about
space as a warfighting domain, where we once talked about it as a sanctuary. We discuss topics such as service culture and equities, readiness and training, and operational command and control in ways we never did before.”
In his new role as director of the NSDC, Lyon, 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 its allies, protect and defend space capabilities and if necessary, defeat adversaries.
“Col. Lyon is a tremendous addition to our team and is absolutely the right person to be leading our operations center at this critical juncture in our growth and advancement,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Tom James, commander of the JTF-SD.
Unquestionably, the NSDC ensures the protection and defense of the joint force.
“I have learned so many lessons over the last 30 years that I am trying to bring to the NSDC, but the one I hope to instill is, trust in our personnel,” said Lyon. “We are going through a period of explosive responsibility growth. Our people need to be empowered to make decisions and to know that it’s okay to fail when trying something new. We’ll learn from our mistakes and move on.”
Lyon is eager to directly support unity of effort within space defense and expand information sharing within space defense operations among the DoD, NRO, and other interagency partners.
“I’m so excited to be here and work with the other services, the NRO, the IC community and our amazing partners across the Joint Staff. What an opportunity we have!” said Lyon. “If we get this right, we can transform the way we conduct space operations. Everything we do here on the floor is foundational to the future of space.”
Lyon expressed a personal goal during his time as director for the NSDC:
“My goal is to leave the center better than it was when I showed up,” said Lyon. “Our tagline is Watch…Warn...Win. I want us to focus on winning so that we are ready to fight tonight with whatever capability is presented to us.”
The JTF-SD, and its NSDC, provide unprecedented unity of effort with the DoD, Intelligence Community and NRO to protect and defend against threats in the space domain. Th rough this partnering, the JTF-SD brings to bear the full force of the U.S. Government and synchronizes space superiority planning and operations.
PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, COLO. —
The Peterson Space Force Base Fire Department teamed up with the National Fire Protection Association in preparation for the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 9-15, 2022.
The 2022 Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape,” works to educate everyone about simple, but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from home fi res.
“You may have as little as two minutes, or even less time, to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA. “Your ability to get out of a home during a fi re depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.”
The Peterson SFB Fire Department encourages all residents to embrace the 2022 Fire Prevention Week theme.
“It’s important for everyone to plan and practice a home-fire escape,” said Michael Moore, Peterson SFB fire inspector. “Everyone needs to be prepared in advance, so that they know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds.”
Peterson SFB Fire Department wants to share these key home fire escape planning tips:
• Make sure your plan meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
• Smoke alarms should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected so when one sounds, they all sound.
• Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows open easily.
• Have an outside meeting place a safe distance from your home.
Practice your home fi re drill at least twice a year with everyone in the household, including guests. Practice at least once during the day and at night.
The Peterson Space Force Base Fire Department teamed up with the National Fire Protection Association in preparation for the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 9-15, 2022. The campaign will kick off following the proclamation signing, Oct. 5, with the Space Base Delta 1 Commander, Col. David Hanson.
“Given that every home is different, every home-fi re escape plan will also be different,” said Moore. “Have a plan for everyone in the home. Children, older adults and people with disabilities
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may need assistance to wake up and get out. Make sure someone is designated to help them.”
The campaign will kick off following the proclamation signing, Oct. 5, with the Space Base Delta 1 commander, Col. David Hanson.
WASHINGTON (AFNS) — The Senate Sept. 29 easily confi rmed Lt. Gen. B. Chance Saltzman to be the U.S. Space Force’s next Chief of Space Operations, positioning him to lead the nation’s newest military service at a crucial moment in its young and still evolving life.
With his confi rmation in hand as well as his promotion to general, Saltzman is poised to step into the position held by Gen. John “Jay” Raymond who has served as the Space Force’s highest-ranking military officer since the service was created on Dec. 20, 2019. Raymond is retiring after a 38-year career that spanned senior service in both the Air Force and Space Force.
“I’m humbled and honored to be confi rmed as the next Chief of Space Operations,” Saltzman said. “I look forward to leading the US Space Force and building on the strong foundational leadership Gen Raymond has provided for almost three years.”
Saltzman will lead the Space Force and its 16,000 Guardians and civilians at a key moment as it transitions more fully from the early stages of its creation that focused heavily on organization, administration, doctrine, and sustainment to a more operational posture and modernizing the constellation of satellites that are at the heart of the Space Force’s operation.
All of that will happen while space is rapidly becoming more contested, militarized, and critical to military operations and everyday life.
Saltzman, who previously served as Space Force Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear, acknowledged that mandate and the importance of space during his Senate Armed Services Committee confi rmation hearing Sept. 13.
“Space is truly a critical domain for U.S. interests, so we must all be clear-eyed in our understanding that our strategic competitors have invested heavily in fielding systems capable of disrupting, degrading and even destroying our space capabilities,” Saltzman said at the time.
“If confi rmed I will work to ensure that the Space Force is ready to protect these vital interests from these threats,” he said.
Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall welcomed Saltzman’s confi rmation while also praising Raymond’s contributions in leading the Space Force
“Our One Team has benefited from sound and thoughtful leadership at our most senior levels,” Kendall said. “We honor General Raymond’s contributions to establish the Space Force and we welcome General Saltzman as he takes the lead. I’m confident in Chance’s ability and judgement and know our Space Force will continue to provide key capabilities to the joint force and our nation’s defense.”
Raymond, who worked closely with Saltzman in recent years as the Space Force was created, offered similar congratulations and praise.
“Congratulations to Chance Saltzman on his confi rmation to serve as the next Chief of Space Operations,” Raymond said. “I couldn’t be more excited for the Saltzmans and for our Space Force. The team is in great hands.”
In a reflection of Saltzman’s broad support of his selection to be the next CSO, his nomination was bunched with 14 other military officers of assorted rank chosen for promotion. All were approved in the Senate by “acclamation.”
Despite its small size compared to the other military services, the Space Force’s strategic importance is
clear. During his confi rmation hearing Saltzman pledged to build on Raymond’s accomplishments. “The inspired work that General Raymond started has set us on a path. It is a path towards advanced capabilities, modern, resilient architectures, and innovative approaches to meet our service missions.”
When asked for his biggest worry surrounding the conditions, Saltzman offered an assessment that is now widely shared.
“We are still the greatest spacefaring nation on the planet,” Saltzman said at the time. “The Space Force’s capabilities … are extremely capable and I still put us at the head of the table. Unfortunately, our adversaries are investing heavily to close that gap and supersede us,” he said.
“I’m worried about the pace with which they are making those changes, China fi rst amongst them but Russia also which is committed to investing heavily in the kinds of capabilities that are going to disrupt, degrade or even destroy our on-orbit capabilities.”
Offsetting that, he told the committee, requires innovation, new thinking, a different “culture” and new relationships with partners and business.
ARLINGTON, VA. (AFNS). — The Department of the Air Force is taking immediate action to further support Airmen, Guardians and their dependents in response to Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s memo “Taking Care of Our Service Members and Families” issued Sept. 22.
Effective Oct. 1, DAF Child Development Program direct-care employees will receive a 100% childcare fee waiver for their first child enrolled in installation Child Development Programs.
All additional children of direct care staff will receive a 25% discount, calculated after the multi-child discount is applied. Finally, other Child and Youth Program employees are also now eligible for a 25% discount for each child enrolled in the installation Child Development Programs, such as receptionists, custodial staff and cooks.
“As I’ve traveled to dozens of bases around the world, I’ve listened to our Airmen and Guardians discuss the challenges they and their families face. Secretary Austin has personally engaged all of the Department of Defense’s senior leaders to address these challenges, and the DAF is moving forward quickly to help our Airmen, Guardians and their families,” said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall.
Th is fee waiver is meant to bolster the number of talented applicants and incentivize current Child Development Program direct-care employees to remain in their po-
sitions, ultimately reducing personnel expenses related to onboarding, background checks, and extensive training of new staff members. Additionally, its goal is to increase capacity within Child Development Centers, school age care facilities and family child care homes, and shorten wait lists.
Since the onset of COVID, challenges in recruiting care providers within a larger national shortage of child care workers impacted the DAF. Incentivizing employment and making the Department’s child care program an “employer of choice” will improve the ability to operate CDCs at full capacity and provide care to more families.
Military spouses comprise about 30% of Child Development Program staff, which means child care discounts can improve military family economic security. Employee child care discounts can be an effective recruitment and retention tool that will help to maximize existing child care capacity, reduce wait lists for care, and support the military mission and spouse employment.
“The Department of the Air Force is implementing additional child care discounts because we’re doing everything possible to ensure our CDCs are staffed. We want our Airmen and Guardians focused on the mission — not worrying about child care availability,” said Under Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones.
Individuals who are interested in a caregiver position with the Child and Youth Programs should contact their local Force Support Squadron Civilian Personnel Office or visit www.usajobs.gov for additional info.
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas (AFNS) — The Defense Department today laid out an array of efforts — some already underway and some on the horizon — that address the needs of married service members and their families, as well as single service members.
In a memo titled “Taking Care of Our Service Members and Families,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III outlined those efforts in greater detail, saying that taking care of people is a critical compo nent of defending the nation.
“The Department of Defense has a sacred obligation to take care of our service members and families,” Austin wrote in the memo. “Doing so is a national security imperative. Our military families provide the strong foundation for our force, and we owe them our full support.”
As a former Army officer himself and onetime vice chief of staff of the Army, Austin said he’s aware of the challenges faced by service members and their families, and he’s made taking care of people a priority for his tenure as the defense secretary.
“I have seen firsthand how much our military fam ilies sacrifice to keep our force strong, healthy, and ready to defend this exceptional nation,” Austin said. “In the face of challenges and frustrations, our families show incredible resilience.”
The memo spells out efforts across four areas deemed most critical to service members and their families.
These include:
• Securing affordable basic needs
• Making moves easier
• Strengthening support to families, especially for such things as child care
Among service members’ most basic needs are housing and food, and DOD has efforts underway to ensure service members and their families can afford those things, Austin said.
“Our service members and families must be able to secure affordable basic needs,” he said. “It is a matter of bedrock, financial security and a critical, individual readiness issue.”
Among the efforts is a review of the prospective 2023 basic allowance for housing rates to ensure they reflect the unusual fluctuations in the housing market. Additionally, in the 28 areas the DOD has identified as having a more than 20% spike in rental housing costs above BAH, the secretary has directed automatic increases in BAH. Those increases will happen auto matically for the service members affected and will begin in October.
Austin also wrote in the memorandum that he has directed the DOD to fully fund installations’ commis saries to cut food prices for service members. As part of that effort, Austin said his goal will be to ensure that prices at commissaries achieve at least a 25% savings on grocery bills compared to what’s available on the local economy.
Finally, Austin said that starting in January, some eligible service members will get an additional allow
ance in their paycheck — the “basic needs allowance.” The supplemental allowance will be provided to those who qualify based on their gross household income.
According to Jeri Busch, director of military com pensation policy, the basic eligibility criteria for that allowance includes service members and their families with a gross household income below 130% of the federal poverty level.
“The allowance is designed to bring them back up to that level, and so the amount will vary according to their gross household income,” Busch said.
Military families are required to move often, Austin said, and those moves disrupt both family life and the social lives and schooling of children, as well. In the memo, Austin laid out several efforts underway to ensure that required permanent changes of station, or PCS moves, don’t cause financial burdens on families that may already be strapped for cash.
One effort directed by the secretary is an extension of temporary lodging expenses from 10 to 14 days. The temporary lodging expense covers the cost of temporary housing for service members and their families while they look for a home at their new duty station. Also, part of the plan is to extend the tempo rary lodging expense coverage to up to 60 days if a service member has moved to an area that is known to have housing shortages.
The secretary has also directed an increase in the dislocation allowance for service members below the paygrade of E-6. This allowance, expected to be paid
a month prior to a PCS move, helps offset any out-ofpocket expenses associated with the move.
Changes to both the temporary lodging expenses and the dislocation allowance are expected to happen in October.
Many military families with young children require some form of child care. Unfortunately, the cost of child care is cost prohibitive for many families, and Austin said that the DOD has several initiatives un derway to ensure more child care is available to mili tary families, and that it’s more affordable. “We must continue to push hard to provide even more affordable child care options for military families,” Austin said. “Military child development centers have extended their hours to provide additional coverage for our service members to account for the varied schedules of military service. The department has reached out to additional high-quality, community-based child care providers who agree to provide care for military families using our fee-assistance program.”
To further help military families secure quality child care, Austin has directed increased investment across the department in child development program facilities and infrastructure to expand capacity.
The secretary has also asked the Defense Department to standardize a minimum 50% employee discount for the first child of direct-care workers employed within the child development program so the program will attract more staff and increase child care capacity.
The DOD last year kicked off a pilot program that
Space Force Baseprovides fee assistance to military families with unusual work schedules. The program allows those families to have in-home child care during hours when they might not be at home, including nights or weekends. The pilot program covers full-time, in-home care for a minimum of 30 hours and a maximum of 60 hours per week.
The initial implementation of the that pilot program was limited to just five locations around the United States, but Austin has directed its expansion to additional states in order to provide more options to military families.
The department also plans to improve access to the Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood program as well.
Many military families, like most civilian families, need both partners working in order to make ends meet. Due to the number of moves a family must endure over the course of a military career, it’s often a challenge for a service member’s civilian partner to
fi nd sustained, meaningful employment.
Part of Austin’s commitment to taking care of people involves ensuring that military spouses can fi nd meaningful, sustained work so they can contribute to the well-being of the family.
“Military spouses provide the strong foundation upon which their loved ones in uniform stand — and our communities and our nation rely on their resilience,” Austin said. “We owe them our energetic, unwavering support.”
To support the efforts of military spouses to find and maintain employment, the DOD has several initiatives underway, including acceleration of the development of seven additional interstate compacts on occupational licenses in multiple professions.
That effort will ease the burden on military spouses who struggle fi nding work because licenses required for their jobs don’t transfer when they move from one state to another. Before a spouse could start looking for work in new duty location, for instance, he or she might need to apply for — and possibly pay for — a new license in a different state. Spouses are unable to work while they wait to obtain sometimes-costly
new licenses or credentials.
Austin also directed the DOD to increase the use of noncompetitive, direct-hiring authorities and expand remote-work and telework options. He also ordered the DOD to launch a new pilot initiative in January to provide military spouses with paid private-sector fellowships in a variety of career paths.
Finally, Austin has directed the number of partners in the Military Spouse Employment Partnership program to increase by 10% before the beginning of 2023.
Currently, more than 540 government organizations, nonprofits and private sector companies have made a commitment to the DOD to recruit, hire, promote and retain military spouses as part of the MSEP program. In October, the program expects to add an additional 70 partners.
“These actions reflect the department’s sacred obligation to honor and support our service members and families,” Austin said. “We remain profoundly committed to doing right by our military families, just as our military families remain profoundly committed to their loved ones and to the nation that they all do so much to defend.”
“Contact” tab on the Peterson SFB or Schriever
will remain
the “Contact
When: Oct. 9 - 15
Why: Fire Prevention Week works to educate everyone about simple, but important, actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from home fi res. Th is year’s FPW campaign is “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.”
Where: Peterson and Schriever SFB
Peterson:
- Life Safety Parade, Oct. 12, 4:30 p.m.
- Live Car Fires at BX/Commissary, Oct. 14, 8 a.m.
Schriever:
- Ellicott Elementary School, Oct. 10, 9 - 10 a.m.
- Community Center Open House, Oct. 14, 4 - 5 p.m.
The Peterson fi nance office will be going through a remodel beginning in October and lasting through December. Until construction is complete, they will have technicians co-located with the MPF on the fi rst floor.
Customers can walk into the MPF and sign into the kiosk for fi nance assistance. In processing briefi ngs will still take place in the computer lab on the second floor on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.
When: Starting Monday, Oct. 3
Where: Peterson Finance Office
Everyone is invited to come out to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!
Who: Civilians & active duty
Where: Peterson HUB. The HUB will offer a buffett for purchase.
When: Oct. 12, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Why: SBD 1 celebrates and commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month.
Th is year’s theme is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.” Unidos, roughly translated to mean united, connected, or close. The theme encourages us as a nation to ensure that all voices are represented and welcomed to help us build stronger communities and a stronger nation.
POC: Ms. Tephanie Hopper, SBD 1 (Schriever) DEIA Coordinator, at 719-567-3346 or Hugo Escobar, SBD 1 (Peterson) DEIA Coordinator, at 719-567-0039.
Additional Information: Keynote Speaker - CMSgt Karmann Pogue. The HUB will offer a Hispanic Buffet for Purchase
• Available Fridays
• Ages 12 and older
• You must schedule an appt for your all doses.
• Your second dose should occur 21 days after your fi rst dose. However, if necessary the second dose can occur 4 days early or up to 14 days after the 21-day recommendation.
• Available Thursdays
• Ages 18 and up can receive the Moderna vaccine
• Your second dose should occur 28 days after your fi rst dose. If necessary the second dose can occur 4 days early or up to 14 days after the 21-day recommendation.
Pfi zer-BioNTech Booster vaccines are available on Fridays for ages 12 and older
Moderna booster is available for all beneficiaries ages 18 years and older on Thursdays
Boosters are available if you meet the following criteria:
Completed a primary/initial series
It has been at least 5 months after completing Moderna/ Pfi zer series OR at least 2 months after receiving Janssen
Individuals may select which booster they would like by scheduling on the day that they are being offered. Individuals may mix and match types after completing initial series. No boosters are available for dependents under the age of 18 at this time. Second boosters are available for beneficiaries 50 and older or members who are moderately/severely immunocompromised with a script from their PCM.
Where: Immunizations, Peterson SFB Main Clinic:
559 Vincent St, Peterson SFB, CO 80914
Details: Visit https://informatics-stage.health.mil/ COVAX/to make an appointment.
Who: Children ages 5-11 can receive the Pfi zerBioNTech vaccine as long as legal guardian is present
What: 21 MDG is now providing pediatric Pfi zer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. Just like in adults, 2 doses given 3 weeks apart are required for a child to be fully vaccinated.
Where: Immunizations, Peterson SFB Main Clinic: 559 Vincent St, Peterson SFB, CO 80914
Details: Visit https://informatics-stage.health.mil/ COVAX/ to make an appointment.
Visit the El Paso County Public Health Department website at elpasocountyhealth.org/how-can-i-get-a-vaccine.
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