BRIGADIER GENERAL DEVIN R. PEPPER
Brig. Gen. Devin R. Pepper is the Deputy Director of the Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate, United States Space Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. In this position, he is responsible for developing military strategies, issuing strategic guidance, planning military campaigns and contingency operations, and formulating policy in support of Combatant Commander’s responsibilities outlined in the Unified Command Plan.
Brig. Gen. Pepper enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1989 and received his commission through the Officer Training School in 1996. He is a career space and missile operations officer and has commanded the Air Force Element Operations Squadron at Royal Air Force Menwith Hill, United Kingdom; Deputy Commander and Commander, 21st Operations Group; the 460th Space Wing; and the Buckley Garrison.
Brig. Gen. Pepper’s staff assignments include positions at Headquarters U.S. Space Command; U.S. Strategic Command; Air Force Global Strike Command; Air Combat Command; Eighth Air Force; and Seventh Air Force. He also served in the Pentagon as an Air Force Strategic Policy Intern in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Equal Opportunity; and Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Brig. Gen. Pepper deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and is a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science in Psychology, University of Maryland University College, College Park, MD. 2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL.
2002 Air Force Strategic Policy Intern, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
2002 Masters of Arts certificate in Organizational Behavior and Leadership, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2003 Masters of Business Administration, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL. 2003 United States Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Space Superiority Squadron, Nellis AFB, NV. 2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL., by correspondence
2010 Space 300, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, CO. 2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL., by correspondence
2015 Masters of National Security Strategy, National War College, Ft McNair, Washington, D.C.
2018 Middle East and South Asia Course, Alan L. Freed Associates, Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
2021 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Air Force General Officer Management Office, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
May 1996 – August 1996, Student, Officer Training School, Maxwell AFB, AL.
August 1996 – April 1997, Student, Undergraduate Space and Missile Training and Initial Qualification Training, Minuteman III Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting, Vandenberg AFB, CA.
April 1997 – February 1998, Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander, 740 Missile Squadron, Minot AFB, ND.
February 1998 - January 1999, Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander Evaluator, 91st Operations Group, Minot AFB, ND.
February 1999 – November 1999, Missile Combat Crew Commander, 740th Missile Squadron, Minot AFB, ND.
November 1999 – July 2001, Missile Combat Crew Commander Instructor, Section Chief and Senior Crew Operations Instructor, 91st Operations Support Squadron, Minot AFB, ND.
August 2001 – June 2002, Executive Officer to the Wing Commander, 91st Space Wing, Minot AFB, ND.
June 2002 – June 2003, Air Force Strategic Policy Intern with duties in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Equal Opportunity; and Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
January 2004 – February 2005, Chief, Offensive Counter-Information, 7th Information Warfare Flight, Osan AB, Republic of Korea.
February 2005 – September 2007, Program Manager, Advanced Strike Requirements Branch, Advanced Programs Division, Directorate of Requirements, Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA (Deployed March – July 2007, Space Weapons Officer, G-3 Fires and Effects Coordination Cell, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), Camp Fallujah, Iraq).
September 2007 – August 2009, Executive Officer to the Commander, Eighth Air Force, Barksdale AFB, LA.
September 2009 – June 2011, Deputy Chief, later Chief, Weapons, Tactics and Electronic Warfare Branch, Air Force Global Strike Command, Barksdale AFB, LA.
June 2011 – June 2013, Commander, Air Force Element Operations Squadron, RAF Menwith Hill, England.
June 2013 – July 2014, Deputy Commander, 21st Operations Group, 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, CO.
August 2014 – June 2015, Student, National War College, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
July 2015 – June 2016, Chief, Global Intelligence Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Future Capabilities Branch (J841), U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE.
June 2016 – May 2017, Chief, Space and Missile Defense Division (J31), Headquarters United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE.
May 2017 – May 2019, Commander, 21st Operations Group, 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB, CO.
May 2019 – July 2020, Commander, 460th Space Wing, Buckley AFB, CO
July 2020 – January 2021, Commander, Buckley Garrison, Buckley AFB, CO.
January 2021 – April 2021, performing the duties of the Deputy Director of the Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate (DJ5), Headquarters United States Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO.
April 2021 – Present, Deputy Director of the Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate (DJ5), Headquarters United States Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
July 2015 – June 2016, Chief, Global Intelligence Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Future Capabilities Branch (J841), U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE., as a Lieutenant Colonel
June 2016 – May 2017, Chief, Space and Missile Defense Division (J31), Headquarters United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE., as a Colonel.
January 2021 – April 2021, performing the duties of the Deputy Director of the Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate (DJ5), Headquarters United States Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO., as a Colonel.
April 2021 – Present, Deputy Director of the Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate (DJ5), Headquarters United States Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO., as a Brig. Gen.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Navy Commendation Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with one bronze star Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Korean Defense Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with 'N' Device
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
Colonel Dick Scobee Leadership Award (OTS) Distinguished Graduate (Minuteman III IQT)
Air Force Space Command Instructor/Evaluator of the Year Award Air Force Space Command Crewmember Excellence Award United States Air Force Verne Orr Award
BADGES AND WEAPON SYSTEMS
Master Space Badge
Senior Missile Operator Badge Senior Command and Control Badge
Weapon Systems: Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, Upgraded Early Warning Radar, Space Based Infrared System (Overhead Persistent Infrared Battlespace Awareness Cell)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, August 9, 1996
First Lieutenant, August 9, 1998
Captain, August 9, 2000
Major, August 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel, December 1, 2010
Colonel, April 1, 2017
Brigadier General, September 2, 2022