Colonel Richard W. Wallace becomes the Commander, 960th Cyberspace Operations Group, 960th Cyberspace Wing, and is currently the Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) to the Group Commander for the 567th Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. He supports five cyber protection teams defending critical military networks and securing key terrain performing vulnerability assessment, incident response, and threat mitigation. The teams enable the United States Cyber Command’s Cyber National Mission Force to employ full-spectrum cyberspace operations to deter, disrupt, and defeat adversary cyber actors. He is building the group's publicly available information/open-source intelligence tradecraft training to identify items of interest.
Col. Wallace was commissioned in 2000 from the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps upon his graduation from The University of Portland, Portland, Oregon with a degree in computer science. He has held various active duty and reserve positions as IMA to the Group Commander, IMA to the Deputy Group Commander, Squadron Commander, Flight Commander, Executive Officer, and Director of Operations.
Prior to this assignment, Col Wallace served as the IMA to the deputy group commander for the 67th Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. He supported six squadrons employing eight combat mission teams and five combat support teams that conduct Offensive Cyberspace Operations in support of Combatant Commands and national priorities. He was also the commander for the 51st Network Operations Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis. He ensured Integrated Network Operations Security Center Airmen meet mission ready status in order to operate, sustain and defend assigned Air Force networks within the Cyber Security and Control System weapon system.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, University of Portland, Portland OR
2000 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, MS
2001 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL, in residence
2010 Advanced Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, MS
2010 USAF Cyberspace Operations Transition Course by correspondence
2011 Master of Science in Business Administration, University of Portland, Portland OR
2012 Air Command and Staff College, , Maxwell AFB, AL, by correspondence
2013 Masters of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Maxwell AFB, AL
2013 Cyber 300, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2015 Cyber Defense Control Operations Course, Hurlburt Field, FL
2015 Air Force Cyber Defense Course, Hurlburt Field, FL
2016 Joint Cyberspace Operations Planners Course, NORAD, Peterson AFB, CO
2017 Air Force Reserve Command’s Squadron Commander’s Course, Robins AFB, GA
2020 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL, by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June - October 2000, Student, Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Mississippi
2. October 2000 - June 2002, Chief, Network Control Center, 9th Communications Squadron, Beale AFB, California
3. June - October 2002, J6 Networks Officer in Charge, Joint Task Force, Prince Sultan Air Base, Southwest Asia, Saudi Arabia
4. October 2002 - November 2004, Mission Systems Flight Commander, 9th Communications Squadron, Beale AFB, California
5. December 2004 - May 2006, Executive Officer, 939th Mission Support Group, Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon
6. May 2006 - May 2008, Commander, 939th Communications Flight, Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon
7. May 2008 - September 2009, Flight Commander, 349th Communications Squadron, Travis AFB, California
8. October 2009 - July 2014, Director of Operations, 23d Combat Communications Squadron, Travis AFB, California
9. July 2014 - December 2016, Assistant Director of Operations and Cyberspace Crew Commander, 960th Network Operations Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colorado
10. December 2016 – October 2018, Commander, 860th Network Operations Squadron, Langley-Eustis, Virginia
11. October 2018 – November 2019, Commander, 51st Network Operations Squadron, Langley-Eustis, Virginia
12. November 2019 – May 2022, Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) to the Deputy Group Commander, 67th Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
13. May 2022 – September 2022, Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) to the Group Commander, 567th Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas
14. October 2022 – present, Commander, 960th Cyberspace Operations Group, JBSA-Lackland, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June - October 2002, J6 Networks Officer in Charge, Joint Task Force, Prince Sultan Air Base, Southwest Asia, Saudi Arabia
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device with five devices
Combat Readiness Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with one device
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Air Force Longevity Service Award with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Training Ribbon
(Current as of September 2022)