COL David Gallagher USSF

Colonel David Gallagher is the Commander, Aerospace Data Facility Colorado, Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado. He is responsible for leading a 4,000 member, joint-agency, multi-national, and multi-mission intelligence operations center conducting collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination of vital intelligence information in support of defense and other government operations around the world. Additionally, as the Space Delta 20 Commander, Colonel Gallagher is responsible for leading Space Force personnel assigned to multiple facilities. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of the Mission Operations Directorate at the National Reconnaissance Office in Chantilly, Virginia.

Col Gallagher received his commission in 2001 as a graduate of Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He has served in a variety of operational positions including intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) combat crew commander and instructor at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. Next, he served as the Chief of Training and Deputy Chief of Evaluation at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. He also deployed to Al Udeid Air Base as the Space Duty Officer for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, Col Gallagher served as Chief Launch Range and Analysis, Assistant Executive Officer to the Commander of Air Force Space Command and Deputy Director, Commander’s Action Group, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. He then served as the Operations Officer of the Mission Operations Squadron, Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado. In this capacity, he led a 170 person military, government and contractor workforce and oversaw $28 billion in national space systems and ground assets. He then commanded the 50th Operations Support Squadron at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, and was responsible for directing space superiority support operations for the Department of Defense’s largest composite satellite wing and global Command and Control network. Finally, Colonel Gallagher served at the Pentagon as the Chief of Space Operations Branch on the Joint Staff and as a principal CJCS & Secretary of Defense space operations advisor for defense, national, civil & commercial space assets.