Colonel Dorian C. Hatcher is the Vice Commander for Operations at Space Launch Delta 30, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. In this role, he supports a team of over 11,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, managing integrated launch and range operations across multiple installations spanning over 118,000 acres of the Western Range, with assets valued at over $8.4 billion. His responsibilities include supporting national security space launch, meeting combatant commander requirements, and conducting operational and developmental missile system testing for the Department of Defense. Hatcher leads efforts to innovate operations, technology, critical infrastructure, and policy to transform the Western Range into the Spaceport of the Future.
Previously, he served as the Deputy Director, Space Architecture and Chief, Joint Capabilities Division, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration in Washington, D.C., where he ensured the cohesiveness of the Department of Defense's integrated space architecture in alignment with national security objectives. Hatcher's career transitioned from the Army to the United States Space Force in April 2023, where he became a Space Acquisitions Officer. His background includes roles as an Ordnance Corps Logistics Officer and an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician. His diverse career spans leadership roles at all levels, from company to combatant command (COCOM), including combined and joint task force assignments with over 57 months of deployed combat experience.
Enlisting as a private in the United States Army in 1992, Hatcher began as a wheeled vehicle mechanic and transitioned into the EOD career field as a Non-Commissioned Officer. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University Chicago and two master's degrees, one from the University of Maryland (Management) and the other from the U.S. Army War College (Strategic Studies).
Commissioned in 2001 through the Green to Gold program, Hatcher's early assignments included serving as a GSE Platoon Leader, Maintenance Company Executive Officer, and Shop Officer in Germany, followed by a deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Post-deployment, he advanced to Battalion Operations Officer and SPO Maintenance Officer roles. After graduating from the Combined Logistics Captain's Career Course in 2006, Hatcher returned to the EOD field, serving as the EOD Battalion Operations Officer, then as the Commander of the 731st Ordnance Company (EOD) in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He later became EOD Operations Officer at the 20th CBRNE HQ, and then the CJTF Paladin Theater Explosive eXploitation (TEX) OIC in Operation Enduring Freedom, where he managed the Joint Force forensic exploitation program for the entire Afghanistan Theater.
His subsequent roles include 4th Infantry Division EOD Staff Officer and Assistant Chief of Staff, Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) for the 4th Infantry Division - Regional Command South - Kandahar. He provided detailed Counter IED equipment fielding, programmatics, and analysis of IEDs, as well as enemy IED networks. Upon redeployment, Hatcher was assigned to the 242nd Ordnance Battalion (EOD) at Fort Carson, CO, as the Battalion S3, with a follow-on assignment as the Battalion Executive Officer.
Hatcher then completed a two-year joint qualifying nominative assignment as the EOD Counter-terrorism Officer at United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), Peterson AFB, CO, responsible for initiating and finalizing the policy, implementation, and execution for the USNORTHCOM Counter Terrorism Targeting Program. He was subsequently selected for Command and assumed command of the 184th Ordnance Battalion (EOD) at Fort Campbell, KY, where he deployed the Battalion in support of EOD operations forward in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria as the Task Force Hellhound (EOD) Commander, supporting the entire CENTCOM area of responsibility as well as multiple Joint Special Operations Task Forces. Upon completion of command, Hatcher moved to become the Counter IED/sUAS Force Protection Branch Chief at U.S. Army Central at Shaw AFB, managing the fielding, implementation, and budgeting for all CsUAS efforts across CENTCOM.
EDUCATION:
1996 Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal Course NSWC Indianhead, MD
2001 Bachelor of Science Degree, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago.
2006 Naval School Advanced Improvised Explosive Devices Defeat, Eglin AFB,FL
2017 United States Army Command and General Staff College - Resident
2018 Joint and Combined Warfighting School-Joint Forces Staff College - Resident
2019 University of Maryland University College – Master of Science in Management
2023 United States Army War College – Master of Strategic Studies - Resident
LAST SIX ASSIGNMENTS:
- March 2017 – March 2019, Counter-Terrorism Officer, US Northern Command, Peterson AFB, CO
- 2020 April – March 2019, Commander Task Force Hellhound (EOD) and 184th Ordnance Battalion (EOD) Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Kuwait and Fort Campbell, KY
- July 2021 – April 2022, Division Chief, Counter-sUAS, EOD and Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
- July 2022 – June 2023, Student United States Army War College, Carlisle PA.
- June 2023 – June 2024, Deputy Director, Space Architecture - Chief, Joint Capabilities Division (SQF/SQ SQA) Pentagon, VA.
- June 2024 – Present, Vice Commander, Space Launch Delta 30, Vandenberg SFB, CA.
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:
2019 JOINT QUALIFIED OFFICER
2019 JOINT QUALIFIED PLANNER
2016 DARPA Service Chief’s Fellow
2006 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Certified Team Leader
TOP AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with Six Oak Leaf Clusters
Army Commendation Medal with Five Oak Leaf Clusters
Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge
Air Assault Badge
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant Jun 06, 2001
First Lieutenant Feb 03, 2003
Captain Jan 01, 2005
Major Jan 01, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel Apr 01, 2018
Colonel May 01, 2023
(CURRENT AS OF JUN 2024)