Col Silas V. Darden is the Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Chief, Central Security Service, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. As MA, he supports the Deputy Chief and the Chief, Central Security Service, who also serves as the Commander, U.S. Cyber Command, and Director, National Security Agency, with operational control of signals intelligence missions conducted by all military services and the Coast Guard, comprising more than 16,600 personnel.
Col Darden received his commission as a Distinguished Graduate of the Air Force ROTC program at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. After serving as a missile combat crew commander, he went on to gain broad experiences in space and cyberspace operations and in air advisor assignments in the U.S. European Command and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility. He has served at the squadron, wing, numbered Air Force, major command, air staff and joint levels. Prior to his current assignment, Col Darden served as the commander of the only cyberspace wing in Air Force Reserve Command, the 960th Cyberspace Wing, directing the operations and staff activities of 17 direct reporting units and 1,300 personnel, and presenting AFRC cyber forces to 16th Air Force, Air Forces Cyber, and United States Cyber Command.
EDUCATION
1.February 2001 – September 2001, Student, Officer Space Prerequisite Training and Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Initial Qualification Training, 392nd Training Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
2.September 2001 – September 2004, Missile Combat Crew Deputy Commander, Instructor; Missile Combat Crew Commander, 740th Missile Squadron and 91st Operations Support Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, N.D.
3.September 2004 – May 2006, RDT&E Space Systems Operations Manager, Center for Research Support, Space and Missile Systems Center Detachment 12 VOC, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.
4.May 2006 – October 2006, Executive Officer, Joint Operations Center, United States Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
5.October 2006 – September 2007, Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Space Systems Operations Manager, Space Test Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
6.October 2007 – September 2008, Current Operations Officer/Detachment Commander, Directorate of Air and Space Operations, Headquarters Third Air Force, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
7.September 2008 – February 2011, Officer in Charge, Chief’s Action Group, then OIC, Congressional Issues and Initiatives, Directorate of Policy Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
8.February 2011 – April 2012, Legislative Liaison Officer, Commander’s Action Group, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
9.April 2012 – September 2013, Commander, 42nd Combat Communications Squadron, Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst, N.J.
10.September 2013 – May 2014, Intermediate Developmental Education student, Air Force Institute of Technology-sponsored Civilian Institution Program, U.S. Air Force Academy Air Operations Center, Colorado Springs, Colo.
11.May 2014 – September 2015, Commander, 911th Communications Squadron, Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, Pa.
12.September 2015 – October 2017, Deputy Commander, 960th Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base San Antonio–Chapman Training Annex, Texas
13.November 2017 – October 2018, Commander, Detachment 2, 960th Cyberspace Operations Group, Robins AFB, Ga.
14.October 2018 – August 2020, Commander, 860th Cyberspace Operations Group, Robins AFB, Ga.
15.August 2020 – May 2023, Vice Commander, 960th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio–Chapman Training Annex, Texas
16.May 2023 – July 2025, Wing Commander, 960th Cyberspace Wing, Joint Base San Antonio–Chapman Training Annex, Texas
17.July 2025 – Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Chief, Central Security Service, National Security Agency, Fort George
G. Meade, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. May 2006 – October 2006, Executive Officer, Joint Operations Center, U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
2. May 2010 – May 2011, Detailed as the Special Assistant for Personnel & Readiness, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Legislative Affairs), the Pentagon, Washington D.C.
3. October 2018 – April 2019, Base Commander, Northern Landing Zone, Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, Syria
4. July 2025 – Present, Mobilization Assistant to the Deputy Chief, Central Security Service, National Security Agency, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal Combat Readiness Medal
Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal Armed Forces Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec. 15, 2000
First Lieutenant Jan. 10, 2003
Captain Jan. 10, 2005
Major May 24, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 28, 2015
Colonel March 20, 2020
(Current as of October 2025)