Lieutenant General Nina M. Armagno

Director of Staff, Headquarters, U.S. Space Force

Lt. Gen. Nina M. Armagno is the Director of Staff, Headquarters, U.S. Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.  In this role, she synchronizes policy, plans, positions, procedures, and cross functional issues for the U.S. Space Force headquarters staff. 
 
Lt. Gen. Armagno earned her commission and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 1988. She is a career space operator with over 34 years of operational experience. She is the first Lieutenant General commissioned in the United States Space Force, she is the only person to have commanded both launch wings in the United States Air Force, and prior to her current assignment, Lt. Gen. Armagno was the Director, Space Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition. She directed the development and procurement of space programs for the Air Force and crafted program strategies for representing Air Force positions to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the office of the Secretary of Defense, Congress, and the White House. She has also served as Director of Plans and Policy, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. She was directly responsible to the USSTRATCOM Commander for the development and implementation of national security policy and guidance, military strategy, and space and nuclear weapons employment policy and concepts. In addition, she has held Command positions at multiple levels, including Squadron, Group, Wing, and Installation as well as staff assignments at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Headquarters 14th Air Force and the 381st Training Group, and has served as an Air Force Legislative Fellow in the Office of Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher.
 
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science, Biology, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1992 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1999 Master of Arts, Education Administration and Management, Chapman University, Calif.
2000 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence.
2002 Air Force Legislative Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2003 Certificate in Legislative Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2003 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence.
2007 Master of Science, National Security Studies, National War College, Washington, D.C.
2010 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of Virginia, Darden School of Business, Charlottesville
2010 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2014 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Washington, D.C.
2014 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2016 Senior Joint Information Operations Application Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2018 Senior Executives in National and International Security Program, Harvard Kennedy School, Boston, Mass.
2019 Cyberspace Operations Executive Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2019 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Va.
2019 Senior Acquisition Management Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2020 Leadership at the Peak, Colorado Springs, Co.
 
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1988–November 1988, Student, Undergraduate Space Training, Lowry Air Force Base, Colo.
2. November 1988–December 1988, Student, Combat Crew Training, Peterson AFB, Colo.
3. January 1989–February 1993, Missile Warning Crew Commander, Chief of Training and Chief, Standardization/Evaluation, 7th Space Warning Squadron, Beale AFB, Calif.
4. March 1993–November 1994, Chief, Operations Training, 21st Operations Support Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colo.
5. November 1994–September 1996, Flight Commander, 11th Space Warning Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
6. September 1996–July 1998, Instructor and Flight Commander, 533rd Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
7. July 1998–July 1999, Executive Officer, 381st Training Group, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
8. July 1999–July 2000, Chief, Warning Operations, Headquarters 14th Air Force, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
9. July 2000–September 2001, Operations Officer, 1st Space Launch Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
10. September 2001– September 2002, Air Force Legislative Fellow, Washington, D.C.
11. September 2002–May 2003, Chief, ground-based warning, Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
12. June 2003–December 2004, Commander, 6th Space Warning Squadron, Cape Cod AFS, Mass.
13. December 2004–July 2006, Deputy Commander, 21st Operations Group, Peterson AFB, Colo.
14. July 2006–June 2007, Student, National War College, Washington, D.C.
15. June 2007–May 2008, Military Assistant for Space and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Systems to the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
16. May 2008–June 2009, Senior Military Assistant and Chief of Staff to the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.
17. June 2009–July 2011, Commander, 21st Operations Group, 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, Colo.
18. July 2011–January 2012, Director of Staff, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
19. January 2012–May 2013, Commander, 30th Space Wing, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
20. June 2013–August 2015, Commander, 45th Space Wing, and Director, Eastern Range, Patrick AFB, Fla.
21. August 2015– June 2017, Director of Strategic Plans, Programs, Requirements and Analysis, Peterson AFB, Colo.
22. June 2017–June 2018, Director, Plans and Policy, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.
23. June 2018–August 2020, Director, Space Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Washington, D.C.
24. August 2020–Present, Director of Staff, Headquarters, U.S. Space Force, Washington, D.C.
 
MISSILE/SPACE INFORMATION
Master Space Operations Badge
 
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
 
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2010 Women of Influence Award
2014 Gen. Jerome F. O'Malley Distinguished Space Leadership Award
2021 Selected as Member, Council on Foreign Relations
 
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1988
First Lieutenant June 1, 1990
Captain June 1, 1992
Major October 1, 1999
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2003
Colonel September 1, 2007
Brigadier General October 2, 2013
Major General June 15, 2016
Lieutenant General August 7, 2020