The Commander of the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado is Colonel John “Jay” W. Raymond. With a work force of more than 5,000 officers, enlisted, civilian and contract employees, this is the U.S.A.F.’s largest wing, both geographically and organizationally. The 21st Space Wing is responsible for missile warning and space control for combat forces and the national command authorities of the United States and Canada.

Colonel Raymond is a career space and missile officer and he command experience at the Squadron and Group levels. He also served on the staffs at HQ AFSPC, HQ United States Air Force, as well as with the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He served as the Director of Space Forces in support of Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom operations. Prior to his current assignment at Peterson AFB, the Colonel was the 30th Operations Group Commander. He has been awarded a number of decorations, ranging from the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak left clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal and more. In 2007, Colonel Raymond received the 2007 Air Force Association’s General Jerome F. O’Malley Distinguished Space Leadership Award.

We discussed a number of topics with Colonel Raymond and appreciated his time to talk with our readers.

MilsatMagazine (MSM)
Colonel, how did you decide upon a career in the U.S. Air Force? How do you balance family with the intense pressure of your command position?

Colonel Raymond
I grew up in a military family. My great-great grandfather, great-grandfather, grandfather, and father all served in the United States Army. I am very proud that I am able to continue this legacy of service. I work hard at balancing the love for my family and my country. One way I try to strike that balance not only for my family but for the families of the Airmen assigned to the Wing is to make sure we build family functions into our Wing events.

MSM
The mission statement for the 21st Space Wing states, “Conduct flawless missile warning and space control operations, provide unsurpassed installation and support and protection, while developing and deploying Warrior Airmen to defend America and our Allies.” Considering how crucial Air Force Space Command is to our country’s defense and space environments, what bases and missions are folded under your command?

Colonel Raymond
The Wing operates the global missile warning and space surveillance networks. To do so we are spread out all over the globe. In fact, we are the largest geographically dispersed wing in the Air Force. We have 39 units in 27 locations across the United States and five additional countries. In all we span 13 time zones. In addition to Peterson AFB, we are responsible for Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Clear Air Force Station Alaska, Cavalier AFS North Dakota, Cape Cod Air Force Station Massachusetts, and Thule AB Greenland.

Our missile warning sites located across the United States, in Greenland, and the United Kingdom ensure flawless missile warning and tracking to ensure critical decisions can be made quickly as to the safety of North America and our allies. These sites, as well as others dedicated to space surveillance, operate day and night to maintain space situational awareness for 18,000 man-made objects in earth orbit.

The wing has three space control squadrons at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, and Holloman AFB, New Mexico. The 16th SPCS is the first ever dedicated defensive counter space unit in the Air Force and provides countermeasures against satellite jamming. Both the 76th SPCS and 4th SPCS are responsible for delivering defensive and offensive counterspace effects to combatant commanders worldwide.

MSM
From ICBMs to space control, the 21st Space Wing is the largest wing within the U.S.A.F. Would you please describe the components that comprise the 21st Space Wing? What missions are currently being managed under your command?

Colonel Raymond
The 21st Space Wing is geographically the largest wing in the Air Force. As discussed above, we are America’s Space Superiority Wing operating the missile warning and space surveillance network. Additionally, we operate both defensive and offensive counterspace capabilities. Additionally, we provide installation support and protection for Peterson AFB and the five other installations we are responsible for. Finally, like all Air Force Wings, we develop and deploy warrior Airmen. The 21st Space Wing deploys approximately 700 Airmen every year which equates to a third of our active duty population.
(Note: the 21st SW does not control any ICBMs or satellites)

MSM
How did your previous assignments as 21st Operations Group deputy commander prepare you for your current role?

Colonel Raymond
The Air Force does a great job of developing Airmen… in fact, it is one of the five stated priorities of the Air Force. In effect, I have been preparing my entire career for my current role. Specifically, the 21st Operations Group deputy commander position gave me experience in the Wing’s diverse operational missions that has proved beneficial over the past two years.

MSM
You have a number of interesting assignments under your belt, from being a Minuteman ICBM crew commander to Headquarters U.S.A.F. as the Chief of the Expeditionary Aerospace Force Space and Program Integration, as well as time spent with the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom as the Commander of the 5th Space Surveillance Squadron. Now here you are, the Commander of the 21st Space Wing, and we would appreciate your thoughts on your career and what, to date, has been your most challenging assignment.

Colonel Raymond
I’ve been an Airman for 25 years, serving in the space and missile community since day one. With each assignment comes new challenges and I can’t put my finger on any specific assignment that was most challenging.

MSM
What were your duties when you were assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Defense? And while at Vandenberg AFB in California as operations group commander for the 30th Space Wing?

Colonel Raymond
I was assigned to the Office of Secretary of Defense’s Office of Force Transformation. I was the space officer assigned to the office to help develop an alternative business model for space. Specifically, I was the Department’s lead on the TACSAT-1 Operationally Responsive Space Experiment.

As the 30th OG commander, I was responsible for the operations of the Western Range to assure access to space. We operated a network of radars and optical sites necessary to safely and effectively conduct nationally critical space launches. The range also supported ICBM test launches and supported the Missile Defense Agencies ground based interceptor testing. The Range also has an offshore operating area that is used to support aircraft testing.

MSM
As the Director of Space Forces, you supported ongoing operations during Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. What were your responsibilities during those assignments?

Colonel Raymond
As the Director of Space Forces (DIRSPACEFOR) I worked for the Coalition Forces Air Component Commander (CFACC). I was his advisor on all space matters. Additionally, the CFACC is designated as the Space Coordinating Authority. As the Space Coordinating Authority, the CFACC coordinates the actions of all of the joint space forces in theater. I executed that authority on his behalf. Professionally and personally it was a very rewarding assignment. It was the first time I had the opportunity to deploy. As the DIRSPACEFOR, I saw firsthand the critical role that space capabilities play in the joint fight.

MSM
Could you tell us about the Deep Space Tracking System and how it parlays into the overall U.S. space program?

Colonel Raymond
The Deep Space Tracking System was a passive sensor that we used to track satellites in “Deep Space.” The squadron I commanded operated that sensor as part of the larger space surveillance network. The Deep Space Tracking System is no longer operational.

The Space Surveillance Network defines “Deep Space” satellites as any object that is at an altitude greater than 7,000 nautical miles and requires 225 or more minutes to make one revolution around the earth. More than 1,200 objects are in Deep Space orbit today. These objects are tracked using a network of ground-based radars and electro optical sensors. The bulk of the work is done using the Air Force Fence, Eglin Phased Array Radar, and the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) system.

The AN/FPS-85 located at the 20th Space Control Squadron, Site C-6, Eglin AFB, Florida, is the only phased array radar weapon system that is capable of tracking deep space orbiting satellites. Generating an overall power output of more than 32 megawatts (enough to power a city of 6,000 people) the 20 SPCS’s radar at Eglin can actively detect, track and identify an object the size of a basketball up to 22,000 nautical miles away. This capability allows the 20 SPCS to provide high quality observations to the JFCC-Space and NASIC on many satellites, especially those located in geostationary orbits. The Eglin radar celebrated its 40th anniversary in January 2009.

The AN/FPS-133, or Air Force Fence, is also part of the “Deep Space” capability. Using a series of nine transmitter and receiver sites along the 33rd parallel of the United States, this weapon system can detect objects out to approximately 15,000 nautical miles. Some form of the Fence has been operating continuously for the last 50 years, reaching that milestone in August 2008. The Fence is essentially a wall of energy stretching across the southern United States.

When combined, the Fence (positioned from Georgia to California) and the Eglin Phased Array Radar can collect observations on 90 percent of the manmade objects orbiting the planet.

The Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance system is a key contributor in tracking Deep Space objects. Our electro optical sensors can track objects as small as a basketball more than 20,000 miles in space. These sensors bring together the telescope, low-light-level television and computers — three proven technologies. Each site has three telescopes, two main and one auxiliary, with the exception of Diego Garcia, which has three main telescopes. The main telescopes have a 40-inch aperture and a two-degree field of view. The system only operates at night when the telescopes are able to detect objects 10,000 times dimmer than the human eye can detect.

MSM
Would you explain RAIDRS? How can satellite interference be countered? Where do you believe most of the interference originates today, and where can we expect it to originate in the future?

Colonel Raymond
RAIDRS is operated by the 16th Space Control Squadron, the Air Force’s first and only dedicated defensive counter space unit. RAIDRS operators detect interference to satellite communications being used by the military, determine where it’s coming from and whether it’s hostile, and then they provide field commanders the information they need to appropriately respond.

The RAIDRS mission is critical to Overseas Contingency Operations, as much of our tactical and morale communication ability in the field relies on unimpeded satellite communications. RAIDRS ensure these lines of communication are available free of interference based upon the combatant commander’s priorities. The Airmen who operate RAIDRS train tirelessly to be ready to defend satcom resources against current and future interference threats.

MSM
You have seen the results of in-theater warfighter support firsthand. Where do you believe our space assets played their most important role in aiding air and ground activities within the hostile environments within which they operated?

Colonel Raymond
As the DIRSPACEFOR, I did get firsthand experience in integrating space capabilities into the joint fight. What I gleaned from this experience is not one particular area of importance, but the fact that space is integrated in all aspects of the fight. These include weather, navigation and timing, communications, warning, and so on. Without space, clearly we would not fight as effectively as we do today.

MSM
In 2007, you were the recipient of the Air Force Association’s “General Jerome F. O’Malley Distinguished Space Leadership Award” - what does this award signify, and why do you feel you were selected?

Colonel Raymond
The Lance P. Sijan Chapter of the Air Force Association established the General Jerome F. O’Malley Distinguished Space Leadership Award to recognize the contributions of leaders in achieving General O’Malley’s vision of “providing an intensified space focus and reorienting AF philosophy toward an operational approach by advocating the operational use of space systems at the highest levels of the Air Force.” I was very honored to receive the award and it was largely earned for the work done while deployed as the DIRSPACEFOR. I had a DIRSPACEFOR team that worked diligently to further integrate space capabilities into theater. Of note, this team successfully integrated a refined Global Positioning System capability to enhance the accuracy of the small diameter bomb improving overall combat effectiveness. My deployed team deserves all the credit for this award.

MSM
Within your command is the 721st Mission Support Group, based at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station. Considered somewhat invisible to most citizens, what activities is this group responsible for? Tracking elements in space is accomplished by what means? How does the 721st align with the 821st at Thule Air Base in Greenland?

Colonel Raymond
Both the 721st Mission Support Group and 821st Air Base Group are important members of the 21st Space Wing team. The 721st MSG, the landlord of Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, provides unsurpassed installation support and protection for seven nationally critical tenant units located inside the mountain. The 821st ABG operates and protects America’s northern most military installation, Thule Air Base, Greenland. The 821st ABG supports missile warning, space surveillance and satellite command and control operations missions. The group provides support and protection to remote active duty units in a combined U.S., Canadian, Danish and Greenlandic environment of approximately 600 military, civilian and contractor personnel.

MSM
What are the most serious threats our nation and warfighters face in the next few years? What do you see as the most important taskings for the 721st and for Air Force Space Command?

Colonel Raymond
The challenges our warfighters face today and into the future are many and varied. The 721st MSG and the whole wing will continue to be “all in” and ready to face today’s fight and tomorrow’s challenges. As our warfighters’ reliance on space resources increases, America’s Space Superiority Wing will continue to flawlessly defend those resources for the nation’s use, while preventing our adversaries from using them against us.

MSM
Back in August of 2007, you told the wing “I don’t accept mediocrity” and you expected perfection. Has such been accomplished?

Colonel Raymond
Yes. The missions we perform are so vitally important to both the success of our warfighters and the security of our nation that there is no room for error. This is the trust and confidence the American people have placed in this wing. I know that the Airmen of the 21st SW have earned this trust through their tireless work and dedication. The fact that our Airmen, civilians and contractors meet this standard was further attested to by the wing’s rating in its 2009 operational readiness inspection. Although nobody is perfect, perfection is the standard we continuously strive to achieve.