Lt. Gen. Michael A. Guetlein is Commander, Space Systems Command, headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. He is responsible for approximately 10,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of $11 billion, managing the research, design, development, acquisition, launch, and sustainment of satellites and their associated command and control systems. His extensive portfolio includes military satellite communication, missile warning, navigation and timing, space-based weather, space launch, and test ranges, space superiority, responsive space and other emerging evolutionary space programs.
Lt. Gen. Guetlein was commissioned through the ROTC program at Oklahoma State University in 1991. His acquisition experience spans air and space capabilities and systems across special operations, global power projection, missile warning and detection, and counter space mission areas. The general has commanded and led at the flight, squadron, division, directorate, Program Executive Officer, and field command levels. Notable assignments include serving as the Director, Remote Sensing Systems; Commander, Rapid Reaction Squadron; the Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition; a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow; and the Program Executive for Programs and Integration at the Missile Defense Agency.
Prior to his current position, Lt. Gen. Guetlein was the Deputy Director, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Virginia, where he acted as the Senior Advisor to the Director on all military matters, and in managing strategic and tactical operations of the NRO. In this position, he was dual-hatted as the Commander of the Space Force Element, responsible for managing all Air Force personnel and resources assigned to the NRO.
EDUCATION
1991 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Aerospace Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
1995 Master of Business Administration, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio
1999 Master of Organizational Management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2005 Master of National Security and Policy Making, Naval War College, Newport Naval Station, R.I.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1991–September 1993, AC-130U Gunship Support Manager, Special Operations Program Office, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2. October 1993–August 1994, Chief, B-2 Bomber Propulsion, B-2 Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
3. August 1994–January 1996, Executive Officer, Engineering Directorate, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
4. January 1996–July 1996, AC-130U Gunship Sortie Generation Flight Commander, 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
5. July 1996–July 1997, AC-130H Gunship Flight Commander, 16th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. July 1997–June 1999, Air Force Intern, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. June 1999–March 2002, Deputy Program Manager, Space-Based Infrared System Ground Segment, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
8. March 2002–March 2003, Director, Missile Warning Systems, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
9. March 2003–June 2004, Executive Officer, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
10. June 2004–June 2005, Student, Naval War College, Newport Naval Station, R.I.
11. June 2005–December 2006, Counterspace Program Element Monitor, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. December 2006–June 2008, Military Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, HAF, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. June 2008–July 2010, Commander, Rapid Reaction Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colo.
14. July 2010–June 2011, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, Space Exploration Enterprises, Los Angeles, Calif.
15. June 2011–August 2014, Senior Materiel Leader, Space-Based Infrared System Production Division, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
16. September 2014–April 2017, Program Director, Remote Sensing Systems Directorate, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
17. April 2017–June 2019, Program Executive for Programs and Integration, Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.
18. July 2019–July 2021, Deputy Director and Air Force Element Commander, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
19. August 2021–present, Commander, Space Systems Command, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 2017–June 2019, Program Executive for Programs and Integration, Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., as a brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 11, 1991
First Lieutenant July 20, 1993
Captain July 20, 1995
Major June 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2006
Colonel Oct. 1, 2010
Brigadier General July 22, 2016
Major General Sept. 24, 2019
Lieutenant General Aug. 13, 2021
