Chief Master Sergeant RYAN M. DAWSON

CMSgt Ryan Dawson is the Senior Enlisted Leader for Space

Delta 1, Vandenberg Space Force Station, California. He advises the Delta 1 Commander and six squadron commanders on all matters regarding enlisted, officer, and civilian lifecycle career development, to include initial accessions training, core technical training, intermediate and advanced training, while driving Guardian culture across five Space Force specialties. CMSgt Dawson also oversees morale, welfare, and organizational climate, as well as professional and personal development of 250+ personnel assigned across eight units, which includes six geographically separated units located in Colorado, Mississippi, Nevada and Texas. He also monitors student dormitory, and temporary living conditions and coordinates local host base and garrison support units to assist in obtaining quality living and working conditions for all assigned space professionals, which includes 2,900+ students per year.

Chief Dawson grew up in Columbus Ohio and enlisted in the Army in May 2001 and has a diverse training background. He has held a variety of operational, broadening, and leadership positions across multiple military occupational specialties. Chief Dawson served as the First Sergeant for HQ, 53ʳᵈ Signal Battalion and First Sergeant for HQ, U.S. Army Satellite Operations Brigade during his final assignment in the U.S. Army. He previously deployed with 1ˢᵗ Brigade Combat Team, 3ʳᵈ Infantry Division in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM campaigns SOVREIGNTY and NEW DAWN.

Chief Dawson transferred from the Army to the Space Force in August 2022, and served as the first ever Senior Enlisted Leader for the Current Operations Division, Headquarters Space Force, (COO/S33) He also served as the Manager, Enlisted Force Development and the Space Force’s first ever Special Duty Manager, at Space Force Headquarters, Force Development/S1D, Pentagon, Washington D.C. Prior to his current position, he served as the Senior Enlisted Leader for 2D Intelligence Analysis Squadron, National Space Intelligence Center(NSIC), Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton OH.

EDUCATION
2009 Warrior Leaders Course, Ft. Stewart, GA
2012 Advanced Leaders Course, Ft. Eisenhower, GA 2017 Senior Leaders Course, Ft. Eisenhower, GA
2021 Air Force Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, DL
2024 Associate in Arts Degree, Interdisciplinary Studies, American Military University, Charlestown, WV

ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1.  August 2001 – October 2001, Trainee, Basic Combat Training, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO
2.  November 2001 – February 2002, Student, Food Service Specialist, Ft. Gregg-Adams, VA
3.  March 2002 – May 2002, Student, Nutrition Care Specialist, Joint Base San Antonio, TX
4.  May 2002 – April 2004, Nutrition Care Specialist, 914ᵗʰ Combat Support Hospital, Blacklick, OH
5.  April 2004 – May 2005, Nutrition Care Specialist, 28ᵗʰ Combat Support Hospital, Ft. Liberty, NC
6.  May 2005 – January 2008, Nutrition Care Specialist, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany
7.  January 2008 – October 2008, Student, HQ/A co. 551ˢᵗ Signal Battalion, Ft. Eisenhower, GA
8.  October 2008 – February 2011, Sr. Satellite Systems Operator/Maintainer, Ft. Stewart, GA
9.  February 2011 – February 2013, Instructor, HQ/A co. 551ˢᵗ Signal Battalion, Ft. Eisenhower, GA
10. February 2013 – February 2014, Platoon Sergeant, HQ/A co. 551ˢᵗ Signal Battalion, Ft. Eisenhower, GA
11. February 2014 – May 2016, Command Driver, U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence, Ft. Eisenhower, GA
12. May 2016 – August 2018, SATCOM Operations NCO, D co. 53ʳᵈ Signal Battalion, Wahiawa, HI
13. August 2018 – August 2019, Battalion SATCOM Operations NCO, HQ co. 53ʳᵈ Signal Battalion, Ft. Carson, CO
14. August 2019 – January 2022, First Sergeant, HQ co. U.S. Army Satellite Operations Brigade, Peterson SFB, CO
15. January 2022 – August 2022, First Sergeant, HQ co. 53ʳᵈ Signal Battalion, Ft. Carson, CO
16. September 2022 – September 2023, Senior Enlisted Leader, Headquarters Space Force OCSO/COO/S33, Pentagon, D.C.
17. October 2023 – July 2024, Manager, Enlisted Force Development, Headquarters Space Force S1D, Pentagon, D.C.
18. July 2024 – June 2025, Senior Enlisted Leader, 2ⁿᵈ Intelligence Analysis Squadron, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH
19. June 2025 – Present, Senior Enlisted Leader, Space Delta 1, Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal with twelve oak leaf cluster

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2009 Commandant’s List, Warrior Leaders Course, Ft. Stewart, Ga
2017 Commandant’s List, Senior Leaders Course, Ft. Eisenhower, Ga
2018 Bronze Order of Mercury Inductee, 7256
2021 Distinguished Graduate, AFSNCO Academy, Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Al

OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
Space Staff Identification Badge
Master Space Operations Badge
Expert Field Medical Badge
Wheeled Drivers Badge
German Marksmanship Badge (Gold)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Association of the US Army
US Army Signal Corps Regimental Association Space Force Association

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Sergeant, October 1, 2008
Staff Sergeant, June 1, 2011
Sergeant First Class June 1, 2017
First Sergeant October 1, 2021
Senior Master Sergeant August 30, 2022
Chief Master Sergeant February 1, 2025

(Current as of June 2025)