Colonel Joshua N. Garrison is the commander of the 860th Cyberspace Operations Group, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. As the commander of the 860th, Colonel Garrison is responsible for directing the operations and staff activities of over 667 personnel in seven units, to include the coordination, organization, and presentation of Air Force Reserve Command cyber forces to Air Forces Cyber, 16th Air Force, Air Combat Command, and United States Cyber Command. The missions of these units encompass defensive cyber-operations, cyber training, and theater deployable communications.
Col. Garrison was selected to attend Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama where he graduated in May 2001 and then completed Basic Communications and Information Officer Training at Kessler AFB, Mississippi. He served on active duty from 2001 to 2005 and joined the Air Force Reserve in 2005. Col. Garrison completed a Master of Education degree in Instructional Technology from Troy State University in 2003. He attended the Army Command and General Staff College in-residence program at Fort Leavenworth, KS in 2013 and graduated with a Master of Military Art and Science degree. In addition, Col. Garrison has a Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Leadership.
Prior to assuming his current position, Col. Garrison served as the IMA to Director, Enterprise IT, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this position, he supported the Air Force Chief Information Officer in overseeing world-wide cyber and communications policies, resources, and other mission-critical issues directly impacting the Air Force warfighting mission in the cyber, communications, and information arenas. In 2009, Col. Garrison served a tour in Iraq at Joint Base Balad in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2018, he also served a tour in Germany at Ramstein AB in support of the European Deterrence Initiative.
EDUCATION
1999 Associate of Arts, Computer Studies, University of Maryland University College, Maryland
2000 Bachelor of Arts, Information Systems Management, University of Maryland University College, Maryland
2001 Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2002 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2003 Master of Education, Instructional Technology, Troy State University, Alabama
2008 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
2012 Air Force Reserve Command Leadership Today & Tomorrow Course, Washington, D.C.
2013 Master of Military Art and Science, Army Command and General Staff College, Kansas
2016 Cyberspace 300, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2019 Doctorate of Philosophy, Educational Leadership, Trident University International, California
2020 Air War College-Distance Learning, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Oct 2001 - Nov 2002: Project Officer, Plans & Implementation Flight, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan
2. Dec 2002 - Sep 2003: OIC, Network Training Center, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan
3. Oct 2003 - Sep 2004: Executive Officer, 18th Maintenance Group, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan
4. Oct 2004 - Oct 2005: Deputy Branch Chief, Voice Networks, Air Force Communications Agency, Scott AFB, IL
5. Nov 2005 - Jul 2006: Lead Command, Info Technology Portfolio Manager, HQ USAFE/A6, Ramstein AB, Germany
6. Aug 2006 - Sep 2008: Lead Command, IT Asset & Service Management, HQ USAFE/A6, Ramstein AB,Germany
7. Aug 2008 - Sep 2009: Branch Chief, CIO Support, HQ USAFE/A6, Ramstein AB, Germany
8. Oct 2009 - Mar 2010: OIC of Operations, 332d Expeditionary Communications Squadron, Joint Base Balad, Iraq
9. Apr 2010 - Jul 2011: Branch Chief, CIO Support, HQ USAFE/A6, Ramstein AB, Germany
10. Aug 2011 - Dec 2012: Director of Operations, 603d Air & Space Communications Squadron, Ramstein AB, Germany
11. Jan 2013 - Dec 2013: Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
12. Jan 2014 - Jun 2015: Joint Cyber Analyst, Joint Staff South, Suffolk, VA
13. Jun 2015 - Sep 2017: Enterprise Services Action Officer, Joint Staff J6, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
14. Sep 2017 - Jul 2019: Commander, 23d Combat Communications Squadron, Travis AFB, CA
15. Jul 2019 - Sep 2022: IMA to Director, Enterprise IT, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
16. Oct 2022 - Present: Commander, 860th Cyberspace Operations Group, Robins AFB, GA
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. Jan 2014 - Jun 2015: Joint Cyber Analyst, Joint Staff South, Suffolk, VA
2. Jun 2015 - Sep 2017: Enterprise Services Action Officer, Joint Staff J6, the Pentagon, Arlington, VA
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2003 Pacific Air Forces Contracting Team of the Year Award (18th Mission Support Group)
2003 18th Wing Communications and Information Company Grade Officer of the Year
2004 18th Maintenance Group Lance P. Sijan Company Grade Officer of the Year
2018 Air Force Reserve Command Lieutenant General Harold Grant Award (23rd Combat Communications Squadron)
2018 Air Force Reserve Command General Edwin Rawlings Team Award (860th Cyberspace Operations Group)
(Current as of April 2023)