Lieutenant Colonel Zachery B. Leonard is the Commander, 343rd Recruiting Squadron, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. He leads a dedicated team in inspiring, engaging, and recruiting future Airmen and Guardians to deliver airpower and space power for America. He oversees the recruiting activities of nine enlisted accession flights with approximately 100 active-duty and civilian personnel, covering an area of over 370,000 square-miles that includes Nebraska, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Lt Col Leonard, a recent inter-service transfer to the U.S. Space Force from the U.S. Army, enlisted in the National Guard in 1997, where he served in Ordinance Corps and Military Police National Guard units prior to receiving his commission in 2004 at the College of the Ozarks as a U.S. Army Signal Officer. His career includes assignments to 35th Signal Brigade (Airborne), XVIII Airborne Corps, Joint Network Control Center – Iraq, 516th Theater Signal Brigade, Joint Readiness Training Center, 53rd Signal Battalion (SATCON), White House Communications Agency, and the Human Resources Command. Lt Col Leonard’s first assignment as a Guardian was to serve as the Chief of Current & Future Operations Branch within the Training, Plans, & Readiness Directorate for Headquarters, Space Operations Command.
Prior to his current assignment, Lt Col Leonard was the commander of 8th Combat Training Squadron, Space Delta 8, Schriever SFB, Colorado. He led a team of 125 Guardians, Civilians, and space professionals stationed across Schriever SFB, Fort Detrick, Fort Meade (NSA), and Vandenberg SFB. As Space Operations Command’s largest training unit, he was entrusted with the training, evaluation, and advanced warfighter development for Space Delta 8's SATCOM Guardians who integrate, synchronize, and execute global MILSATCOM for the United States, Allied, and Coalition forces for over 12,000 space warfighters across four space operations squadrons and 11 geographically separated units.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science, Agriculture Business, College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, MO
2004 Signal Basic Officer Leader Course, Fort Gordon, GA
2009 Signal Captains Career Course, Fort Gordon, GA
2014 Master of Science, Business Administration, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
2015 Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
2022 Space Capability Development Seminar, Peterson Space Force Base, CO
2022 Space 200, NSSI, Peterson Space Force Base, CO
2022 Space 300, NSSI, Peterson Space Force Base, CO
2023 Space Intelligence Fundamentals Course, NSSI, Peterson Space Force Base, CO
2025 Air War College (AWC), by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
- Aug 2004 – Feb 2006, Platoon Leader, FES (CCP) Platoon, C/CO, 50th Sig Bn (Airborne), LSA Anaconda, Iraq
- Feb 2006 – June 2006, Executive Officer, HHC, 50th Signal Battalion (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC
- June 2006 – Aug 2006, Executive Officer, HHC, 51st Signal Battalion (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC
- Aug 2006 – April 2007, Executive Officer, Charlie Company, 50th Signal Battalion (Airborne), Fort Bragg, NC
- April 2007 – Jan 2008, Network Engineer, XVIII Airborne Corps G6, Fort Bragg, NC
- Jan 2008 – April 2009, (Deployed) Circuits & Transmissions OIC, Multi-National Forces-Iraq, Camp Victory, Iraq
- June 2009 – Mar 2012, Commander, Alpha Company, 307th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, Schofield Barracks, HI
- Mar 2012 – July 2013, G6, 21st Infantry Division & Comms Elec/Auto Officer, JRTC OPS GRP, Fort Polk, LA
- July 2013 – June 2014, Division G6 Observer/Coach/Trainer & Rotational Planner, JRTC OPS GRP, Fort Polk, LA
- June 2015 – May 2016, Battalion Operations Officer, 53d Signal Battalion (SATCON), Peterson AFB, CO
- May 2016 – May 2017, Battalion Executive Officer, 53d Signal Battalion (SATCON), Peterson AFB, CO
- May 2017 – April 2019, Presidential Response Officer (PRO), White House, Washington D.C
- April 2019 – July 2020, J3 Current Operations Division (COD) Chief, White House, Washington D.C
- July 2020 – June 2021, Signal Corps Senior Majors Career Manager, Human Resources CMD, Ft. Knox, KY
- June 2021 – June 2022, Signal Corps Lieutenant Colonel Career Manger, Human Resources CMD, Ft. Knox, KY
- June 2022 – May 2023, Chief, Current & Future Operations Branch, HQ SpOC, DCG-O, S3/5, Peterson SFB, CO
- May 2023 – June 2025, Commander, 8th Combat Training Squadron, Space Delta 8, Schriever SFB, CO
- July 2025 – Present, Commander, 343rd Recruiting Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters
Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Achievement Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Army Superior Unit Award
Good Conduct Medal 5 Loop Devices
Combat Readiness Medal
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal with 1 Service Star
Iraq Campaign Medal with 3 Service Stars
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with 2 Numeral Devices
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device
Air and Space Longevity Service Award
Presidential Service Badge
Master Space Operations Badge
Master Cyberspace Operator Badge
Parachutist Badge
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant – May 29, 2004
First Lieutenant – November 29, 2005
Captain – July 1, 2007
Major – March 1, 2014
Lieutenant Colonel – January 1, 2021
(Current as of 8 July 25)