Lance W. Lord
Encyclopedia
General Lance W. Lord is a retired four star general in the U.S. Air Force, and was the Commander of Air Force Space Command
at Peterson Air Force Base
in Colorado.
General Lord entered the Air Force in 1969 as a graduate of the Otterbein College ROTC program. He completed a series of Air Staff and joint duty assignments in strategic missiles after serving four years of Minuteman II ICBM alert duty. He directed the Ground-Launched Cruise Missile Program Management Office in Europe. He was a Military Assistant to the Director of Net Assessment in the Office of the Secretary of Defense
and represented the Air Force as a research associate in international security affairs at Ohio State University
.
General Lord commanded two ICBM wings in Wyoming and North Dakota. In California he commanded a space wing responsible for satellite launch and ballistic missile test launch operations. He served as Director of Plans and as Vice Commander for Headquarters Air Force Space Command. The general led Air Force education and training as Commandant of Squadron Officer School
, Commander of 2nd Air Force, Commander of Air University and Director of Education for Air Education and Training Command
. Prior to assuming command of Space Command, he was the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force. He retired on April 1, 2006.
In 2004, the Air Force Force Space Command Commander, General Lance Lord, announced the introduction of a new space badge. The new combined Space and Missile Operations Badge, informally known as "spings" (SPace wINGS), "Space Boomerang", or "Space Blade" replaced the Missile Badge
for operators. In addition, the new badge is no longer limited to pure space and missile operators/maintainers, but is also awarded to 61XX, 62XX and 63XX (officer) AFSCs who have performed space/ICBM acquisition duties, even if they were non-operational in nature.
Air Force Space Command
Air Force Space Command is a major command of the United States Department of the Air Force, with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. AFSPC supports U.S. military operations worldwide through the use of many different types of satellite, launch and cyber operations....
at Peterson Air Force Base
Peterson Air Force Base
Peterson Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located at Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States and it provides runways for the adjacent City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport under a shared joint civil-military airport arrangement...
in Colorado.
General Lord entered the Air Force in 1969 as a graduate of the Otterbein College ROTC program. He completed a series of Air Staff and joint duty assignments in strategic missiles after serving four years of Minuteman II ICBM alert duty. He directed the Ground-Launched Cruise Missile Program Management Office in Europe. He was a Military Assistant to the Director of Net Assessment in the Office of the Secretary of Defense
Office of the Secretary of Defense
The Office of the Secretary of Defense is a headquarters-level staff of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It is the principal civilian staff element of the Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out authority, direction and control of the Department...
and represented the Air Force as a research associate in international security affairs at Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
General Lord commanded two ICBM wings in Wyoming and North Dakota. In California he commanded a space wing responsible for satellite launch and ballistic missile test launch operations. He served as Director of Plans and as Vice Commander for Headquarters Air Force Space Command. The general led Air Force education and training as Commandant of Squadron Officer School
Squadron Officer School
Squadron Officer School , is a five-week long Professional Military Education course for U.S. Air Force Captains. It fulfills the U.S. Air Force's requirement for primary developmental education . SOS is based at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, and the in-residence version of the course is taught there...
, Commander of 2nd Air Force, Commander of Air University and Director of Education for Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command
Air Education and Training Command was established July 1, 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University. It is one of the U.S. Air Force's ten major commands and reports to Headquarters, United States Air Force....
. Prior to assuming command of Space Command, he was the Assistant Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force. He retired on April 1, 2006.
In 2004, the Air Force Force Space Command Commander, General Lance Lord, announced the introduction of a new space badge. The new combined Space and Missile Operations Badge, informally known as "spings" (SPace wINGS), "Space Boomerang", or "Space Blade" replaced the Missile Badge
Missile Badge
The Missile Badge is a military decoration of the United States Air Force which was first created in the 1960s. The badge recognizes those commissioned officers and enlisted personnel of the US Air Force who have qualified as missile personnel that have been trained in the launching of landbased...
for operators. In addition, the new badge is no longer limited to pure space and missile operators/maintainers, but is also awarded to 61XX, 62XX and 63XX (officer) AFSCs who have performed space/ICBM acquisition duties, even if they were non-operational in nature.
Assignments
- January 1969 - February 1969, student, ICBM operational readiness training, Chanute AFB, Illinois
- February 1969 - May 1969, student, combat crew missile training, Vandenberg AFB, California
- May 1969 - June 1973, Minuteman II combat crewmember, 321st Strategic Missile Wing, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
- June 1973 - September 1975, Minuteman II evaluation member, 3901st Strategic Missile Evaluation Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, California
- September 1975 - August 1976, missile operations staff officer, Air Staff Training Program, Directorate of Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
- August 1976 - July 1978, missile operations staff officer, Strategic Division, Directorate of Operations and Readiness, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
- July 1978 - July 1979, student, Air Command and Staff CollegeAir Command and Staff CollegeThe Air Command and Staff College is located at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama and is the United States Air Force's intermediate professional military education school. It prepares field grade and equivalent officers of all U.S...
, Maxwell AFB, Alabama - July 1979 - July 1982, military assistant to the Director for Net Assessment, Office of the Secretary of DefenseOffice of the Secretary of DefenseThe Office of the Secretary of Defense is a headquarters-level staff of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. It is the principal civilian staff element of the Secretary of Defense, and it assists the Secretary in carrying out authority, direction and control of the Department...
, Washington, D.C. - July 1982 - July 1983, Air Force research associate, Program of International Security and Military Affairs, Ohio State University, Columbus
- July 1983 - August 1984, Commander, 10th Strategic Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Montana
- August 1984 - June 1985, Deputy Commander, 341st Combat Support Group, Malmstrom AFB, Montana
- July 1985 - July 1987, Director, Ground-Launched Cruise Missile Program Management Office, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein Air BaseRamstein Air BaseRamstein Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the German state of Rheinland-Pfalz. It serves as headquarters for the United States Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization installation...
, West Germany - July 1987 - June 1988, student, Air War CollegeAir War CollegeThe Air War College is a part of the United States Air Force's Air University, headquartered at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. Air University's higher headquarters is Air Education and Training Command headquartered at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The Air War...
, Maxwell AFB, Alabama - June 1988 - February 1989, Vice Commander, 351st Strategic Missile Wing, Whiteman AFB, Missouri
- February 1989 - May 1990, Commander, 321st Strategic Missile Wing, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota
- June 1990 - August 1992, Commandant, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
- August 1992 - August 1993, Commander, 90th Missile Wing, Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyoming
- August 1993 - August 1995, Commander, 30th Space Wing and Western Range, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
- August 1995 - August 1996, Director of Plans, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado
- August 1996 - August 1997, Commander, 2nd Air Force, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
- August 1997 - June 1999, Vice Commander, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado
- June 1999 - May 2001, Commander, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
- May 2001 - April 2002, Assistant Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
- April 2002 - April 2006, Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colorado
Operational information
- Space Professional Level III, Command Space Badge
- Space Experience: Nuclear operations, spacelift
- Weapon Systems:
- ICBM: Minuteman II, Minuteman III, LGM-118A PeacekeeperLGM-118A PeacekeeperThe LGM-118A Peacekeeper, also known as the MX missile , was a land-based ICBM deployed by the United States starting in 1986. A total of 50 missiles were deployed. They have since been deactivated....
- Booster: Atlas E, Delta IIDelta IIDelta II was an American space launch system, originally designed and built by McDonnell Douglas. Delta II is part of the Delta rocket family and was in service from 1989 until November 1, 2011...
, Titan IITitan (rocket family)Titan was a family of U.S. expendable rockets used between 1959 and 2005. A total of 368 rockets of this family were launched, including all the Project Gemini manned flights of the mid-1960s...
, Titan IVTitan IVThe Titan IV family of space boosters were used by the U.S. Air Force. They were launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. At the time of its introduction, the Titan IV was the "largest unmanned space booster used by the Air Force."The...
- ICBM: Minuteman II, Minuteman III, LGM-118A Peacekeeper
Other achievements
- 1988 Secretary of the Air Force Leadership Award, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
- 1999 Gen. Thomas D. White Space Trophy, Air Force AssociationAir Force AssociationThe Air Force Association is an independent, 501 non-profit, civilian education organization, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia...
- 2003 Gen. Bernard A. Schriever Fellow Award, Air Force Association, Northern Utah Chapter
- 2003 Distinguished Achievement Award, Air Force Association, Tennessee Ernie Ford Chapter
- 2004 Gen. James V. Hartinger Award, National Defense Industrial AssociationNational Defense Industrial AssociationThe National Defense Industrial Association is an association for the United States government and the defense industry. Based in Arlington, Virginia, NDIA was established in 1919 as a result of the inability of the defense industry to scale up the war effort during World War I...
, Rocky Mountain Chapter - 2004 Gen. Jimmy Doolittle Fellow Award, Air Force Association, Iron Gate Chapter
- 2004 Gen. Bernard A. Schriever Award, Air Force Association, Los Angeles Chapter
- 2005 Space Champion Award, National Defense Industrial Association
- 2006 Order of the SwordOrder of the Sword (United States)The Order of the Sword is an honor awarded within the U.S. Air Force. It is defined in the Airman's Guide by Boone Nicolls as a "special program where noncommisioned officers of a command recognize individuals they hold in high esteem and wish to honor...
, Air Force Space Command
Effective dates of promotion
- Second Lieutenant December 4, 1968
- First Lieutenant July 28, 1970
- Captain January 28, 1972
- Major September 1, 1978
- Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 1982
- Colonel December 1, 1985
- Brigadier General September 1, 1992
- Major General March 14, 1996
- Lieutenant General September 1, 1997
- General April 19, 2002