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VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Col. David E. Hook, the outgoing senior military assistant to the director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon, District of Columbia, took command of the 30th Operations Group here during a ceremony in front of Headquarters Building 10577 at 10 a.m. June 15.
Colonel Hook replaces Col. Todd W. Gossett, who commanded the operations group from May 2009 to June 2011.
Colonel Hook's past assignments include a variety of space and missile operations, acquisitions, policy, strategy and planning staff assignments. Colonel Hook began his training as a student at the 4315th Combat Crew Training Squadron at Vandenberg in February 1990. Then, after a three-year stint as a missile combat crew commander at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., he served as a propulsion test engineer and mission flight control officer at Vandenberg from May 1993 to August 1996. In July 2008, he served as the commander of the 5th Space Launch Squadron at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
Colonel Hook has a bachelor's degree from Purdue University, Ind., in aeronautical and astronautical engineering. He has four master's degrees in the following fields of study: Masters of Science in technology management, Master of Arts in organizational administration, Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies and a Masters of Military Art and Science from the School of Advanced Military Studies.
Colonel Hook's awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Combat Readiness Medal, National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Air and Space Campaign Medal and Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long.
"Someone once said that teamwork is the fuel that fuels common people to obtain uncommon results, and nowhere is this more true than in space lift," Colonel Hook said. "The spirit of teamwork that has made Vandenberg so successful in the past is the same teamwork that will elevate us to even greater heights. I look forward to working arm-in-arm with the wing team, my fellow group commanders, our mission support contractors and our launch agencies."