Colonel Melissa S. Cunningham is the Commander, 67th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The 67th CW is the Air Force’s newest combat wing, serving as Air Forces Cyber’s execution arm for generating, projecting, and sustaining combat power with the employment of the Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter and the Network Attack cyber weapon systems. Colonel Cunningham leads more than 2,000 Airmen, civilians, and contractors across three operations groups with 26 units at 7 locations worldwide. The wing develops, trains, exercises and tests information operations tactics, techniques and procedures; analyzes and mitigates U.S. cyberspace vulnerabilities; and integrates emerging information dominance capabilities for the warfighter. She also ensures the readiness and employment of Airmen to conduct network operations, defense, attack, and exploitation in service of the Air Force, combatant commands and national agencies.   

Colonel Cunningham received her commission as a Distinguished Graduate from the United States Air Force Academy in 1996. She has served in various assignments including the Joint Staff, combat communications operations, air mobility operations and academic instruction. She served as the Deputy Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She commanded the 92nd Communications Squadron and deployed in support of operation Iraqi Freedom.  In addition, she served as an Assistant Professor of Management and the Officer in Charge of the Women’s Rugby Team at the U.S. Air Force Academy. She also led as Director of Communications, National Capital Region-Military District of Washington. Prior to her current assignment, Colonel Cunningham was the Vice Commander of the 688th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.   

EDUCATION 
1996 Distinguished Graduate, Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2002 Masters of Arts in Organizational Management, the George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2006 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence)
2006 Strategic Policy Intern, Department of Defense, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
2010 Air War College (Correspondence) 
2015 Master of Science, National War College, Ft McNair, Washington, D.C.   

ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1996–April 1997, Officer in Charge, Deployable Communications Team, 615th Air Mobility Communications Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
2. April 1997–July 1999, Flight Commander and Deputy Division Chief, Deployable Communications Team, 615th Air Mobility Operations Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
3. July 1999–June 2001, Group and Wing Executive Officer, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas
4. June 2001–July 2002, Strategic Policy Intern, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
5. July 2002–June 2005, Flight Commander, 54th Combat Communications Squadron and 5th Combat Communications Support Squadron, Robins AFB, Ga.
6. June 2005–June 2007, Assistant Professor of Management, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
7. June 2007–June 2008, Deputy Director, Superintendent’s Commanders Action Group, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
8. July 2008–July 2010, Commander, 92nd Communications Squadron, Fairchild AFB, Wash. 
9. July 2010–July 2011, Wing Inspector General, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
10. July 2011–June 2012, Action Officer, Directorate for C4 Systems, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 
11. June 2012–July 2014, Deputy Executive Assistant to the CJCS, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 
12. August 2014–June 2015, Student, National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. 
13. July 2015–July 2017, Director of Communications, JFHQ-NCR/MDW/ J6, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
14. August 2017–June 2018, Vice Commander, 688th Cyberspace Wing, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
15. June 2018–present, Commander, 67th Cyberspace Wing, JBSA-Lackland, Texas

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 1996
First Lieutenant May 1998
Captain May 2000
Major April 2006
Lieutenant Colonel December 2010
Colonel May 2016   

(Current as of June 2018)