Colonel Omar A. Velasco
Colonel Omar A. Velasco is the Deputy Commander, 67th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The wing presents combat cyberspace capabilities to the Service, United States Cyber Command, and the Joint Force. In this capacity, the wing acts as the Air Forces Cyber execution arm for conducting global cyberspace operations. Additionally, the wing provides organic operations training, cyber capability development, operational testing, and range capabilities to drive readiness across the Cyber Mission Force. Col. Velasco assists the Commander in leading more than 3,000 Airmen, civilians, and contract personnel across four operations groups with 19
squadrons, two detachments, and one center located across eight locations worldwide.
Col. Velasco received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1997. He is a career Cyberspace Effects Operations (17S) officer with various operational and staff assignments. Col. Velasco also holds the designation Regional Affairs Strategist (16F) for Latin America. He has completed various operational and staff assignments including squadron command, and positions on the Air Staff and Joint Staff. Prior to his current assignment, Col. Velasco was the Director of Cyberspace Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science degree in General Studies, Concentration in Biology, Minor in Spanish, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1998 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
2004 Squadron Officer School (Correspondence and In-Residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Advanced Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2005 Masters of Science degree in Management, Concentration in Information Systems, Troy State University, Troy, Ala.
2007 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Masters of Art degree in International Relations, Concentration in Inter-American Studies, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas
2009 Masters of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Air War College (Correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Masters of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1997 - July 1998, Admissions Advisor, Office of Minority Enrollment, Directorate of Admissions, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2. July 1998 - May 1999, Deputy Director of Operations, 81st Maintenance and Logistics Support Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss.
3. May 1999 - July 2001, Project Engineer, 738th Engineering and Installation Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss.
4. July 2001 - October 2003, GTACS Project Manager then Flight Commander, Mission Systems, 82nd Computer Systems Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
5. October 2003 - August 2005, Flight Commander, Mission Sustainment, 10th Intelligence Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
6. September 2005 - May 2006, Deputy Chief, Technical Services, Network Operations and Security Center, Air Education and Training Command Computer Systems Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
7. May 2006 - July 2007, Chief, Director’s Action Group, Directorate of Communications, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
8. July 2007 - July 2008, Director of Operations, 67th Operations Support Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
9. August 2008 - June 2009, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 2009 - June 2011, Chief, Force Sustainment, Directorate of Cyberspace Transformation and Strategy, Office of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer then Executive Officer, Directorate of Cyberspace Operations, Office of Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. July 2011 - July 2012, Commander, 380th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates
12. July 2012 - June 2015, Action Officer then Branch Chief, Current Operations and Plans, Deputy Directorate for Command, Control, Communications, Computers/Cyber (J-6) Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2015 - June 2017, Commander, 26th Network Operations Squadron, Maxwell AFB - Gunter Annex, Ala.
14. July 2017- May 2018, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. June 2018 - July 2020, Director, Cyberspace Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
16. July 2020 - Present, Deputy Commander, 67th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2012 - June 2015, Action Officer then Branch Chief, Current Operations and Plans, Deputy Directorate for Command, Control, Communications, Computers/Cyber (J-6) Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2018 - July 2020, Director, Cyberspace Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar as a colonel.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1997
First Lieutenant May 28, 1999
Captain May 28, 2001
Major Jan. 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2012
Colonel Oct. 1, 2018
(Current as of March 2021)
squadrons, two detachments, and one center located across eight locations worldwide.
Col. Velasco received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1997. He is a career Cyberspace Effects Operations (17S) officer with various operational and staff assignments. Col. Velasco also holds the designation Regional Affairs Strategist (16F) for Latin America. He has completed various operational and staff assignments including squadron command, and positions on the Air Staff and Joint Staff. Prior to his current assignment, Col. Velasco was the Director of Cyberspace Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science degree in General Studies, Concentration in Biology, Minor in Spanish, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1998 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
2004 Squadron Officer School (Correspondence and In-Residence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Advanced Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2005 Masters of Science degree in Management, Concentration in Information Systems, Troy State University, Troy, Ala.
2007 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Masters of Art degree in International Relations, Concentration in Inter-American Studies, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas
2009 Masters of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Air War College (Correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Masters of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1997 - July 1998, Admissions Advisor, Office of Minority Enrollment, Directorate of Admissions, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2. July 1998 - May 1999, Deputy Director of Operations, 81st Maintenance and Logistics Support Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss.
3. May 1999 - July 2001, Project Engineer, 738th Engineering and Installation Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss.
4. July 2001 - October 2003, GTACS Project Manager then Flight Commander, Mission Systems, 82nd Computer Systems Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
5. October 2003 - August 2005, Flight Commander, Mission Sustainment, 10th Intelligence Squadron, Langley AFB, Va.
6. September 2005 - May 2006, Deputy Chief, Technical Services, Network Operations and Security Center, Air Education and Training Command Computer Systems Squadron, Randolph AFB, Texas
7. May 2006 - July 2007, Chief, Director’s Action Group, Directorate of Communications, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas
8. July 2007 - July 2008, Director of Operations, 67th Operations Support Squadron, Lackland AFB, Texas
9. August 2008 - June 2009, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 2009 - June 2011, Chief, Force Sustainment, Directorate of Cyberspace Transformation and Strategy, Office of Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer then Executive Officer, Directorate of Cyberspace Operations, Office of Information Dominance and Chief Information Officer, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. July 2011 - July 2012, Commander, 380th Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates
12. July 2012 - June 2015, Action Officer then Branch Chief, Current Operations and Plans, Deputy Directorate for Command, Control, Communications, Computers/Cyber (J-6) Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2015 - June 2017, Commander, 26th Network Operations Squadron, Maxwell AFB - Gunter Annex, Ala.
14. July 2017- May 2018, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
15. June 2018 - July 2020, Director, Cyberspace Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
16. July 2020 - Present, Deputy Commander, 67th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2012 - June 2015, Action Officer then Branch Chief, Current Operations and Plans, Deputy Directorate for Command, Control, Communications, Computers/Cyber (J-6) Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2018 - July 2020, Director, Cyberspace Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar as a colonel.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1997
First Lieutenant May 28, 1999
Captain May 28, 2001
Major Jan. 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2012
Colonel Oct. 1, 2018
(Current as of March 2021)
