Col. Daniel Hays is the Deputy Commander at the Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The agency is a diverse team of experts who provide independent inspection, evaluation, oversight, training and analysis to advance continuous improvement of mission effectiveness at all Air Force levels. As the Air Force Inspection System action arm for the Secretary of the Air Force, the agency identifies deficiencies and recommends improvements for accomplishing peacetime and wartime missions and evaluates Air Force activities and policies. The agency also provides by-law and compliance oversight of Air Force-level Field Operating Agencies and Direct Reporting Units and management inspections of above-the-wing level (HAF/MAJCOM/NAF and select FOAs/DRUs).
The colonel entered the Air Force in June 1999 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps from The University of Texas at Austin. He completed Undergraduate Space and Missile Training and Missile Initial Qualification Training in April 2000. Since then he has held various operational assignments in Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles and Space Based Missile Warning, and various staff assignments at the Major Command and Headquarters Air Force, and Combatant Command levels. Colonel Hays previously served as a missile squadron commander and has 7,584 ICBM combat alert hours.
Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Hays was the Chief, Future Operations Division, United States Strategic Command Global Operations Center, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, where he was responsible in leading a 23-person Joint force team in planning operations, activities, and investments that operationalized the United States Strategic Command Campaign Plan to assure our allies and partners and deter our global adversaries.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor Science – Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX
2004 Squadron Officer School, in correspondence
2006 Masters of Engineering, Systems Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
2006 Squadron Officer School, Top Third Graduate, Maxwell AFB, AL
2008 Air Command and Staff College, in correspondence
2013 Masters of Science in Strategic Intelligence, National Intelligence University, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington DC
2014 Air War College, in correspondence
2020 Masters of Science in National Security Resourcing, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington DC
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1999 – April 2000, Undergraduate Space and Missile Training & Initial Qualification Training, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA
2. September 2000 – August 2001, Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander, Minuteman III ICBM, 10th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, MT
3. September 2001 – December 2002, Deputy Missile Combat Crew Instructor, MMIII ICBM, 341st Operations Support Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, MT
4. January 2003 – July 2003, Missile Combat Crew Commander, MMIII ICBM, 10th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, MT
5. August 2003 – April 2004, Missile Combat Crew Instructor and Section Chief, ICBM Scripts Development, MMIII ICBM, 341st Operations Support Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, MT
6. May 2004 – December 2004, ICBM Initial Qualification Instructor, REACT-A, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA
7. January 2005 – November 2005, Chief, Current Operations, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA
8. December 2005 – March 2006, Assistant Flight Commander, Space and Missile Training Development Flight, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA
9. April 2006 – April 2007, Flight Commander, Space and Missile Training Development Flight, 392d Training Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, CA
10. April 2007 – May 2008, Chief of Operations Training, 11th Space Warning Squadron, Schriever AFB, CO
11. May 2008 – May 2009, Flight Commander, Current Operations, 11th Space Warning Squadron, Schriever AFB, CO
12. June 2009 – December 2009, Chief of Officer Assignments, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO
13. January 2010 – August 2010, Deputy Operations Officer and Chief, Air Operations Planning, US Army Corps of Engineers, Kabul, Afghanistan (Operation ENDURING FREEDOM)
14. September 2010 – May 2011, Deputy Chief, Space and Cyber Professional Management, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO
15. June 2011 – February 2012, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO
16. February 2012 – July 2012, Chief, Space Wargaming Operations, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO
17. August 2012 – July 2013, Student, National Intelligence University, Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington DC
18. August 2013 – April 2014, Programmer, Nuclear Deterrence Operations Panel and Deputy Chief, Engine Room Corporate Branch, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon
19. April 2014 – May 2016, Operations Officer, 10th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, MT
20. May 2016 – July 2018, Commander, 12th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, MT
21. July 2018 – June 2019, Chief, Nuclear Plans and Policy Branch, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon
22. July 2019 – June 2020, Student, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington DC
23. June 2020 – September 2021, Battle Watch Commander, United States Strategic Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, NE
24. September 2021 – June 2022, Chief, Future Operations Plans, United States Strategic Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, NE
25. June 2022 – Present, Deputy Commander, Air Force Inspection Agency, Kirtland AFB, NM
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2020 – September 21, Battle Watch Commander, United States Strategic Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, NE, as a colonel
2. September 2021 – June 2022, Chief, Future Operations Plans Division, Installation, State, United States Strategic Command Headquarters, Offutt AFB, NE, as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal, with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal, with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, with four oak leaf clusters
Operation Enduring Freedom Campaign Ribbon
Combat Readiness Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Global War on Terrorism Medal
NATO Medal
OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
Master Missile Operations Badge
Senior Space Operations Badge
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 19, 1999
First Lieutenant June 20, 2001
Captain June 20, 2003
Major May 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2014
Colonel October 1, 2020
(CURRENT AS OF JUNE 2022)