Brig. Gen. Rob Lyman is the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Cyber Effects Operations (AF A2/6), Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Virginia. Brig. Gen. Lyman is responsible for the development of over 36,000 cyber personnel. He balances costs and risks for Air Force cyber effects programs in light of all legislative, Department of Defense and joint policies and directives. Additionally, Brig. Gen. Lyman is responsible for integrating U.S. Air Force air, space and cyberspace effects operations capabilities into the joint fight by informing policy, synchronizing relevant efforts and advocating for resources to provide secure, reliable and timely information to joint warfighters.
Brig. Gen. Lyman entered the active duty Air Force in September 1993 as a distinguished graduate from the ROTC program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York. He has served unit-level tours in logistics, combat communications, space operations, joint special operations and on headquarters staffs at major command, Headquarters Air Force, Combatant Command, sub-unified joint command, and joint task force level. He has extensive joint experience and has commanded at squadron, group, and wing levels.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, N.Y.
1999 Distinguished Graduate and Outstanding Contributor, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2001 Master of Arts, Organizational Management, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2001 Certificate in Legislative Studies, The Government Affairs Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 White House Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2012 U.S. Air Force Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2017 U.S. Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2018 Cybersecurity: The Intersection of Policy and Technology, Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, Ma.
2019 Cyber Operations Executive Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2020 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2020 Senior Joint Information Operations Applications Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1993–July 1996, B-1B Avionics Software Engineer, B-1B System Support Management Division, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Okla.
2. July 1996–July 1997, Executive Officer, Aircraft Directorate, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker AFB, Okla.
3. July 1997–November 1997, Student, Basic Communications Officer Training, Class Leader of Class 970721, Keesler AFB, Miss.
4. November 1997–July 1999, Commander, Network Systems Flight, 52nd Combat Communications Squadron, 5th Combat Communications Group, Robins AFB, Ga.
5. July 1999–May 2001, Air Force Intern, Air Force Intern Program with duty in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness and the Office of the U.S. Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Information, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. May 2001–August 2003, Deputy Flight Commander, Plans and Policy Flight, 850th Communications Squadron, then Director of Operations, Space and Information Systems, 50th Communications Squadron, then Commander, Missions Systems Flight, 50th Space Communications Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
7. August 2003–August 2004, Staff Action Control Officer, Office of the Secretary Combined Joint Staff, Headquarters, United Nations Command / ROK-US Combined Forces Command / United States Forces Korea, Yongsan Garrison, Seoul, South Korea
8. August 2004–June 2006, Operations Planner, Communications Operations Division, Directorate of Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems (J6), Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
9. June 2006–June 2007, Student, United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
10. July 2007–July 2009, Commander, 96th Communications Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
11. August 2009–August 2010, White House Fellow with placement in the Office of the Secretary, United States Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C.
12. September 2010–July 2011, Chief, Strategy Integration, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of the Deputy Chief Management Officer, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
13. July 2011–July 2013, Commander, 88th Communications Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
14. July 2013–July 2015, Director of Communications and Chief Information Officer, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
15. July 2015–July 2017, Commander, 628th Air Base Wing and Commander, Joint Base Charleston, Charleston, S.C.
16. July 2017–June 2018, Director of Communications (J6), Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C.
17. June 2018–July 2020, Director, Command, Control, Communications and Cyber (C4) Systems and Deputy Director for Cyberspace Operations, U.S. Transportation Command (TCJ6), Scott AFB, Ill.
18. July 2020–January 2022, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Cyber Effects Operations, Headquarters Air Force (AF A2/6), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2000–June 2000, Air Force Intern, Air Force Intern Program with duty in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. as a captain
2. October 2001–April 2002, Chief, Communications Engineering Branch, Joint Task Force-Southwest Asia,
U.S. Central Command, Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as a captain
3, March 2003–May 2003, Deputy Chief, Theater Communications Operations and Engineering, U.S. Central Air Force, Prince Sultan AB, KSA, as a captain
4. August 2003–August 2004, Staff Action Control Officer, Office of the Secretary Combined Joint Staff, Headquarters, United Nations Command / Republic of Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command / U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Garrison, Seoul, South Korea, as a major
5. August 2004–June 2006, Operations Planner, Communications Operations Division, Directorate of Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems (J6), Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a major
6. August 2009–August 2010, White House Fellow with placement in the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
7. July 2017–June 2018, Director of Communications (J6), Joint Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a colonel
8. June 2018–July 2020, Director, Command, Control, Communications and Cyber (C4) Systems and Deputy Director for Cyberspace Operations, USTRANSCOM (TCJ6), Scott AFB, Ill. as a brigadier general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal with two service stars
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2022 Signal Corps Regimental Association, Brevet Colonel award
2020 Armed Forces Communications & Electronics Association (AFCEA) International, Order of Saint Isidore Gold Medal
2020 Military Cyber Professionals Association, Order of Thor Gold Medal
2019 National Security Agency Rowlett Award, U.S. Transportation Command
2018 National Security Agency Rowlett Award, U.S. Transportation Command
2017 Association of Defense Communities, Military Leadership Award
2017 Jerome F. O’Malley Award, Air Mobility Command
2014 ComputerWorld Premier 100 Award
2014 Federal Computer Week Federal 100 Award
2014 Federal Enterprise Architecture Certification Institute “Leadership in Government Transformation-Defense” Award (AMC/A6)
2008 Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association International, Leadership Award
2008 Air Force Material Command, Field Grade Officer Communication and Information Professionalism Award
2007 U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Excellence in JC4I Writing Award
2002 Air Force Communication and Information Professionalism Award
2002 Air Force Space Command, Company Grade Officer Communication and Information Professionalism Award
2002 14th Air Force, Tiger Award
2002 Distinguished Graduate and Top Annual Graduate (Webb Award), Advanced Communications Officer Training
2001 Company Grade Officer Communication & Information Professionalism Award, Air Force Space Command
1999 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School
1997 Distinguished Graduate, Basic Communications Officer Training
1993 Distinguished Graduate, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 13, 1993
First Lieutenant July 19, 1995
Captain July 19, 1997
Major Dec. 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 1, 2007
Colonel Sept. 1, 2011
Brigadier General July 3, 2018
(Current as of January 2022)