Colonel Heidi Dexter

Colonel Dexter is the Commander of Space Base Delta 2 at Buckley Space Force Base, Aurora, Colorado. As commander, she oversees operations providing Base Operating Support to more than 15,400 military, Department of Defense civilians and contractor personnel serving at 10 operating locations world-wide, executing critical United States Space Force Missile Warning and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions. In addition, SBD2 hosts 6 wings (or equivalents) and 117 tenant organizations as well as supporting over 15,000 base personnel and a 94,000 retiree population. Colonel Dexter earned her commission through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at San Diego State University in 2001. Throughout her career, she has served in communications and space operations squadrons, and deployed in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Col Dexter has commanded twice at the Squadron level and has served at various positions at the Wing, Agency, Major Command, and Headquarters Air Force levels.

In 2021 Colonel Dexter was commissioned into the Space Force as a Cyber Operations officer.

EDUCATION 

2001       Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics, University of California, San Diego 

2006      Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL

2006       Master of Arts, Information Systems Management, Colorado Technical University 

2011      Certified Information Systems Security Professional

2013       Masters of Operational Arts and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL

2023       Masters of Science, Government Information Leadership, National Defense University, DC

ASSIGNMENTS

July 2001 – Oct 2003 Officer in Charge, Theater Deployable Communications, 21st Communication Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM

Oct 2003 – Oct 2004 Deputy Chief, Command and Control Division, 8th Fighter Wing, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea

Oct 2004 – Dec 2008 Flight Commander, Milstar Communications Flight, 4th Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, CO

Dec 2008 – Jul 2012 Chief, Cyber Incident Detection and Response, Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington D.C.

Jul 2012 – Jun 2013 Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell, AFB, AL

Jun 2013 – Jun 2015 Chief, Strategy and Policy International Airmen Specialist Program, Pentagon, Washington D.C.

Jul 2015 – Jul 2017 Commander, 42d Communications Squadron, Maxwell AFB, AL 

Jul 2017 – Jun 2019 Deputy Division Chief, Communications Division, Air Force Nuclear Command and Control Center, Barksdale AFB, LA

Jun 2019 – Jun 2020 Chief Knowledge Management Officer, Barksdale AFB, LA

Jul 2020 – Jul 2022 Commander, 21st Communications Squadron, Peterson SFB, CO

Jul 2022 – Jun 2023 Student, College of Information and Cyberspace, Ft McNair, DC

Jun 2023 – Present Commander, Space Base Delta 2, Buckley SFB, CO

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters

Air Force Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters

Air Force Achievement Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters 

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device and one Oak Leaf Cluster

National Defense Service Medal

Iraq Campaign Medal

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal 

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal 

Korean Defense Service Medal

Armed Forces Service Medal

Air and Space Campaign Medal

Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION 

Second Lieutenant          July 2001

First Lieutenant                July 2003

Captain                            July 2005

Major                               September 2011

Lieutenant Colonel          September 2016

Colonel                            April 2022

(Current as of June 2023)