Colonel Rowland Cardoni Colonel Rowland Cardoni is Chief of the Operational Response Team, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., a Division under the Department of the Air Force Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management (DAF PEO C3BM). He leads a 40+ person team of experienced operators and system matter experts to bridge the gap between acquisitions and operations through early fielding of new technology in relevant service, joint, and combined exercises in support of the DAF Battle Network. Col. Cardoni was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program after he graduated from Florida International University, Miami, Fla. He has served in various positions in defense acquisition, intelligence, and space. Col. Cardoni has also deployed as a military advisor to the Iraqi Joint Headquarters assigned to the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq. Prior to his current assignment, Col. Cardoni led a Joint team overseeing requirements, policy, and programming of $40B+ within the highly classified Military Intelligence Program and Battlespace Awareness portfolios at the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, the Pentagon, Va. EDUCATION 2002 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Fla. 2002 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 2009 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 2011 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence 2011 Master of Business Administration, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Fla. 2012 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2018 Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va. 2021 Air War College by correspondence ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 2002 – June 2004, Electronic Warfare Threat Systems Engineer, Space & C3I Directorate, Hill AFB, Utah 2. June 2004 – June 2005, Software Engineer, 526th ICBM Systems Wing, Hill AFB, Utah 3. June 2005 – November 2007, Operations Engineer, 417th Flight Test Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif. 4. November 2007 – November 2008, Military Advisor, Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq 5. January 2009 – October 2009, Foreign Space Systems Engineer, Space Analysis Squadron, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 6. October 2009 – October 2010, Flight Commander & Assistant Director of Operations, Space Analysis Squadron, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 7. October 2010 – October 2011, Executive Officer, Space and Missile Analysis Group, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 8. October 2011 – January 2013, Chief of Cyber Special Programs Integration, Directorate of Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Material Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 9. February 2013 – September 2013, Liaison Officer, Office of Defense Representative Pakistan, the Pentagon, Va. 10. October 2013 – October 2015, Chief of Systems Engineering, Geosynchronous Space Situational Awareness Program, Space Superiority Systems Directorate, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 11. October 2015 – October 2017, Program Manager - Acquisition Operations, Space Superiority Systems Directorate, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 12. October 2017 – October 2019, Deputy Section Head - Requirements, NATO Headquarters Allied Command Transformation - Staff Element Europe, Mons, Belgium 13. October 2019 – June 2023, Chief of Space Systems Command Integration, Space Security and Defense Program, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 14. June 2023 – July 2025, Deputy Director of Special Programs, Battlespace Awareness and Security Programs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, the Pentagon, Va. 15. July 2025 – Present, Chief of Operational Response Team, a Division under the Department of the Air Force Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications and Battle Management, Nellis AFB, Nev. SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 1. November 2007 – November 2008, Military Advisor, Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, as a captain 2. February 2013 – September 2013, Liaison Officer, Office of Defense Representative Pakistan, the Pentagon, Va., as a major 3. October 2017 – October 2019, Deputy Section Head - Requirements, NATO Headquarters Allied Command Transformation - Staff Element Europe, Mons, Belgium, as a lieutenant colonel 4. June 2023 – July 2025, Deputy Director of Special Programs, Battlespace Awareness and Security Programs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, the Pentagon, Va., as a colonel MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Superior Service Medal Bronze Star Medal Defense Meritorious Service Medal Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster Non-Article 5 NATO Medal (International Security Assistance Force) PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS Engineering & Technical Management, Practitioner Program Management, Practitioner Test and Evaluation, Practitioner Fully Qualified Joint Officer