BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant Roy Davis of the California Air National Guard’s 234th Intelligence Squadron was selected as the Space Operations Command Company Grade Officer of the Year for 2021. Davis earned the award through his outstanding performance while assigned to the 7th Space Warning Squadron at Beale Air Force Base.
Davis is the senior intelligence duty officer responsible for providing intelligence support and training to the 7th SWS. He has been at the unit for the last two years through a Military Personnel Appropriation Tour. This program allows Active Duty organizations to integrate Guard and Reserve component members into their units to augment their mission sets.
“Two years ago through my home unit the 234th IS I was able to find out about the opportunity to fill an Intel role at the 7th SWS through MPA days. Since then I have really enjoyed helping to integrate intelligence support into the space mission,” said Davis.
7th SWS has a number of missions they support across missile and space defense, providing data and information to its National Command Authorities. In order to bolster success in those missions, the 7th SWS Mission Planning Cell (MPC) takes a proactive approach to operations. The MPC is charged with looking at a future period of time and the anticipated activity during that period. Intelligence analysts are charged with providing crews the necessary details that drive deliberate planning and execution, as well as enhancing dynamic planning efforts.
During his time at the unit Davis has been fully integrated in the effort to advance the space mission into the future.
“7th SWS is clearly prioritizing and investigating in ‘intel-driven operations,’ and so much of what we’re doing here is truly groundbreaking. This includes developing and aligning Operations and Intel Qualification Training courses; mission planning; tactics development; and, new Concept Development such as integrating the UEWR and LRDR sensors.”
The dynamic mission at the 7th SWS takes a collective effort and Davis has been an integral piece.
“As an analyst, it has been really cool to see all of this come together. It’s still a growing process, but it’s been really awesome, the same. Additionally, it isn’t just an Intel effort; the whole 7th SWS has been paramount in helping our Intel analysts understand the weapon system and integrate with operations, along with full support from the leadership, said Davis. “At the end of the day, it’s a team effort; Total Force Integration from the start. This translates to having everything we need now to plan, brief, execute, and debrief to success—our warfighting imperative in space demands this.”
Col. Raymond De Jesus, 195th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, commander reflected on Davis’s achievement.
“It is an honor to have a 195th ISRG member win such a prestigious award. The selection of Lt. Davis demonstrates the caliber of our Airmen and the value of the California Air National Guard to the Space Force mission. Our years of experience operating and providing real-time intelligence in space are critical for continued U.S. dominance in the space domain. “