UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
COLONEL DOUGLAS E. COOL
Col Douglas E. Cool is currently serving as the
Deputy Director, Space Superiority Systems
Directorate, Los Angeles AFB, California. He has
served in a variety of key developmental
acquisition and staff functions to include: Chief,
Strategic and Nuclear Networks, in the 653rd
Electronic Systems Wing at the Electronic
Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA.
In this role, he oversaw the management of over
300 people and 14 SATCOM terminal programs
valued at over $15B vital to establishing and
sustaining the Global Information Grid. Col Cool
commanded the 501st Combat Sustainment
Squadron, leading the 70-member squadron in
development,
production,
and
sustainment
activities for 1370 combat training pods, 18
physiological training systems, and 196 range
threat emitters worth over $2.6 billion.
Col Cool was commissioned in 1989 through the ROTC program at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh,
PA. He began his career performing technology assessments first at the National Air Intelligence Center,
Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, and then overseas at Yokota AB, Japan. Following those assignments, he
served in a broad range of acquisition positions, including positions as program manager and systems
engineer, at both the Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, MA, and the Space and Missile Systems
Center, Los Angeles AFB, CA. He also served as the Deputy Director of the Space Control and Advanced
Technologies Division at the Under Secretary of the Air Force’s Directorate of Space Acquisition. While
there, he managed the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution of over $2.5 billion of Air Force
special access programs.
Col Cool has completed the Defense Acquisition University’s Senior Acquisition Course and Program
Manager’s Course, and is certified level three in the acquisition areas of program management and systems
planning, research, development, and engineering.
Col Cool and his wife, Satoko, have two children, Alison (age 10) and Emma (age 7).
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
1990 Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA
1995 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2002 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Military Arts and Sciences, Air Command and Staff College,
Maxwell AFB, AL
2007 Distinguished Graduate, Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, National Defense
University, Fort McNair, DC
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1989 – June 1993, Senior Electro-Optic Engineer, Technology Assessment Directorate, National
Air Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH
2. July 1993 – September 1995, Chief, Technical Collection, 315th Intelligence Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan
3. September 1995 – March 1997, Project Manager, Theater Air Defense, Development Plans Directorate,
Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, MA
4. March 1997 – March 1998, Executive Officer, Special Projects Directorate, Electronic Systems Center,
Hanscom AFB, MA
5. March 1998 – March 1999, Chief, Rapid Prototyping Branch, Special Projects Directorate, Electronic
Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, MA
6. March 1999 – November 1999, Chief, Advanced Surveillance Systems, Intelligence, Surveillance, and
Reconnaissance Integration SPO, Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom AFB, MA
7. December 1999 – December 2000, Chief, System Integration Branch, Systems Acquisition Directorate,
Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, CA
8. December 2000 – July 2002, Program Manager, Advanced Systems, Space Superiority SPO, Space and
Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, CA
9. August 2002 – June 2003, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
10. June 2003 – June 2005, Special Access Program Element Monitor, Directorate of Space Acquisition,
Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, VA
11. June 2005 – July 2006, Deputy Director, Space Control and Advanced Technologies Division,
Directorate of Space Acquisition, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, VA
12. August 2006 – June 2007, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University,
Fort McNair, DC
13. June 2007 – July 2009, Commander, 501st Combat Sustainment Squadron, 84th Combat Sustainment
Wing, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, UT
14. August 2009 – June 2010, Chief, Strategic and Nuclear Networks, 653rd Electronic Systems Wing,
Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA
15. July 2010 – Present, Vice Wing Commander Space Superiority Systems Wing, Los Angeles AFB, CA.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant: 20 May 1989
First Lieutenant: 2 July 1991
Captain: 2 July 1993
Major: 1 Nov 2000
Lieutenant Colonel: 1 April 2004
Colonel: 1 August 2009