Colonel Mark J. Estlund is the Senior Individual Mobility Augmentee to Headquarters Air Force, Cyberspace Operations and Warfighter Communications. He supports the director to advise the SecAF, CSAF and 2 DCS staffs on integrating Cyberspace, Information and spectrum capabilities into Department of Defense operations, plans and exercises. He represents Department of Air Force positions and advocates for capabilities with the Major Commands, Joint Staff, Combatant Commands, and Inter-Agency.
Colonel Estlund was commissioned in 1995 from the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps upon his graduation from the University of Minnesota. He has been awarded the master cyberspace operators badge and the basic parachutist badge.
Prior to this assignment Col Estlund was commander of the 960th Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, where he directed the operations of 7 direct-reporting units and over 700 military and civilian personnel across four states.
EDUCATION:
1995 Bachelor of Arts, Criminology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 1996 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler Air Force Base, MS 2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2006 Master of Science, Computer Science, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA 2007 Advanced Communications Officer Training, Keesler Air Force Base, MS
2009 Air Command and Staff College by correspondence 2015 Air War College by correspondence
2017 Joint and Combined Warfighting School-Hybrid, National Defense University, Norfolk Naval Station, VA
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. July 1995 – August 1996, Chief, Visual Information Branch, 28th Communications Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD
2. August 1996 – May 1998, Deputy Flight Commander, Mission Systems Flight, 28th Communications Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, SD
3. May 1998 – December 1999, Executive Officer, 86th Logistics Group, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
4. December 1999 – June 2001, Flight Commander, Telecommunications Systems Flight, 86th Communications Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
5. June 2001 – August 2003, Chief, Application Engineering, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, VA
6. August 2003 – September 2005, AFIT Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA7. September 2005 –September 2006, Mobile Command and Control Center Platform Manager, US Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
7. September 2006 – July 2007, Chief, C4 Systems Support Branch, Joint Functional Combatant Command-Global Strike, US Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
8. July 2007 – March 2013, Joint Intelligence Operations Center Enterprise Architect, Western Regional Support Center, Defense Intelligence Agency, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
9. March 2013 – July 2018, Commander, 960th Network Warfare Flight, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
10. July 2018 – May 2019; Battle Watch Commander, US Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
11. May 2019 – July 2020; Chief of Staff, Global Operations Directorate, US Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
12. August 2020 – August 2022, Commander, 960th Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio- Chapman Training Annex, TX
13. August 2022 - pressent; Senior Individual Mobility Augmentee, Headquarters Air Force, Cyberspace Operations and Warfighter Communications, Pentagon, Washington DC
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS:
1. September 2005 – September 2006, Mobile Command and Control Center Platform Manager, US Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
2. September 2006 – July 2007, Chief, C4 Systems Support Branch, Joint Functional Combatant Command-Global Strike, US Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
3. July 2007 – March 2013, Joint Intelligence Operations Center Enterprise Architect, Western Regional Support Center, Defense Intelligence Agency, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
4. July 2018 – May 2019; Battle Watch Commander, US Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
5. May 2019 – July 2020; Chief of Staff, Global Operations Directorate, US Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, NE
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster) Air Force Meritorious Service Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster) Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster) Joint Meritorious Unit Award
AF Outstanding Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal (Bronze Star) Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant, June 30, 1995
First Lieutenant, June 30, 1997
Captain, June 30, 1999
Major, December 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel, December 1, 2012
Colonel, July 15, 2018
(Current as of August 2023)