Kristin Panzenhagen

Kristin Leigh Panzenhagen (born December 27, 1978) is a United States Space Force brigadier general who served as program executive officer for Assured Access to Space, director of launch and range operations of Space Systems Command, commander of Space Launch Delta 45, and director of the Eastern Range. She previously served as the senior military assistant to the under secretary of the Air Force.

Panzenhagen entered the Air Force in 2000 as an aircraft maintenance officer, later transitioning to the developmental engineering career field. She has been deployed in support of Operation Southern Watch, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn as part of the Iraq War. In 2021, she was transferred to the Space Force.

Education Panzenhagen graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Springfield, Virginia in 1996. She received a B.S. degree in aeronautical engineering in 2000 from Purdue University. In September 2002, she entered the Air Force Institute of Technology Graduate School of Engineering and Management. She also earned a master's degree in military studies from the Marine Corps University in 2012 and a master's degree in national resource strategy in 2017 from the National Defense University. She has also attended the Squadron Officer School, National Security Space Institute, Air Command and Staff College, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Air War College, Defense Acquisition University, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Harvard Kennedy School, and Alan L. Freed Associates as part of her professional military education.

From 2008 to 2011, Panzenhagen served as a chief of mission engineering. She served in this position first in a classified assignment and, after a year, she was assigned at Aerospace Data Facility-East. While there, she was one of 28 service members from the Air Force Space Command to compete for the Air Force 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year competition. By 2019, she was serving as chief of the missile defense and missile warning systems branch in PEO Digital, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. She then studied at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College from 2011 to 2012. After that, she served as the chief of advanced warfighting integration at the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office until 2014. From 2021 to 2022, she served as the senior material leader for the NRO's Integrated Ground Enterprise Directorate. In May 2022, she was nominated and confirmed for promotion to brigadier general. In June 2022, she started serving as the senior military assistant to Under Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones.

Awards and decorations Middleton is the recipient of the following awards:

Defense Superior Service MedalLegion of MeritDefense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf clusterMeritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clustersJoint Service Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf clusterAir Force Commendation MedalJoint Meritorious Unit AwardAir Force Outstanding Unit Award with four bronze oak leaf clustersNational Defense Service MedalArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalIraq Campaign Medal with one bronze service starGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalAir and Space Campaign MedalAir Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with gold frameAir Force Longevity Service Award with four bronze oak leaf clustersAir Force Small Arms Expert Marksmanship RibbonAir Force Training Ribbon

Writings

Dates of promotion + Rank Branch Date Second lieutenantAir ForceJune 11, 2000 First lieutenantJune 11, 2002 CaptainJune 11, 2004 MajorMay 1, 2010 Lieutenant colonelDecember 1, 2013 ColonelMay 1, 2018 ColonelSpace Force~June 24, 2021 Brigadier GeneralDecember 16, 2023