Daniel Wright

As a Space Operations Officer working with different satellite systems and being part of the war fight, I’m doing exactly what I’ve wanted to do since I was a teenager. I’ve always been a self-starter and that has helped me achieve my goals. Growing up, I was interested in both technology and space. I opened a small computer business in high school and also joined the Air Force Reserve Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC) because I knew that the Air Force operated space satellites. My dad suggested that I look into the Air Force Academy, and I obtained a nomination from my state (Florida) to attend the Academy.

Freshman year at the Academy was rough. I had a full plate of academics, sports, and survival lessons. I also had to memorize a vast amount of material about the Air Force and aircraft. I made it through my first year and began more specialized studies in engineering and mechanics. Because I wanted to be the person who operates satellites, and not the engineer who builds satellites, I chose to pursue the Space Operations degree which allowed me to take management and computer courses that I thought would be valuable down the road.

I took my commission in the Air Force once I completed studies at the Academy. To expand my space operations studies, I went through Undergraduate Space Training for four months at Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado. I learned how to operate a satellite and communicate with it through antennas and computers on the ground. I received my first assignment in December, 1990, when I was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington as a Crew Commander in a satellite squadron.

I’ve been in the service for 15 years and have had a full career already with all the fantastic opportunities along the way. After my stay at Fairchild, for example, I was stationed at a very small radar tracking site—Pirinclik Air Station in Turkey. I was also very fortunate to go to the Office of the Secretary of Defense/Policy in the Pentagon and work on Defense Planning Guidance documents that prioritized spending. I saw how issues were debated and decided at the very senior levels on policy. Another unique job opportunity came up when I worked in systems engineering and acquisition at the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) outside of Washington, D.C. This job gave me the chance to understand more about satellite construction. I helped set up contracts, then monitored and provided oversight to the government contractors in charge of building satellites. At the same time, I acted as a legislative liaison officer between the NRO and Congress.

I’ve also been able to pursue graduate studies. I took part in the Air Force Intern Program which led to a Masters degree in Organizational Management from George Washington University. I also attended and received a Masters from the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. In this program, I learned more about the strategic role that the Air Force plays in America’s overall military strategy. The program focused on how to use tools, such as air and space power, to protect the nation.

Today, I’m a Squadron Commander at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado where I’m responsible for the mission of the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS), a system that provides missile warning to forces worldwide. We are the command and control center, and we support the war fighters at the tactical level by providing missile-warning data. We operate multi-billions of dollars in equipment, including a constellation of satellites, and have crews working round-the-clock. We coordinate with people all over the world to ensure that our computers and satellites are functioning properly. I make sure that we have the resources—the money and the personnel—to run a successful operation.

Space studies impacts the world from communications systems to missile warning systems to global positioning systems. It’s an exciting and cutting edge field, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to play a role in it. I’m also grateful for my entire experience in the military. I’ve worked with people from all over the world, and I’ve always been humbled and impressed by them, their high level of dedication, and their high level of competence. There is a can-do attitude in the military and that’s very important to me.