Brig Gen Mark Baird
Director, Space Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, U.S. Air Force Director
Brigadier General Mark Baird is the Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. General Baird is responsible for assisting the Commander in managing the research, design, development, acquisition and sustainment of space and missile systems, launch, command and control, and operational satellite systems. The Space and Missile Systems Center is the nation’s center of technical expertise for military space acquisition with more than 5,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of $6 billion.
He entered active duty in 1989 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at the Florida State University. During his career, he has served in a variety of acquisition positions including Contingency Contracting Officer, Procuring Contracting Officer, Program Manager, HQ Staff Officer, Squadron Commander, and Senior Materiel Leader. The general spent a year in industry, studying space propulsion under Pratt & Whitney. He was also selected for the prestigious Air Force Legislative Fellowship and the Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellowship. Prior to his current assignment, the general was the Commander, Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science, Business Management and Finance, Florida State University, Tallahassee
1990 Master of Science, Operations Management, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2001 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2001 Legislative Fellowship, Washington D.C.
2002 Graduate Certificate in Legislative Studies, Georgetown University, Washington D.C.
2005 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 Executive Seminar, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2007 Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellowship, London, England
2012 Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1991 – October 1992, Contract Management Officer/Contingency Contracting Officer (CCO), 314 Contracting Squadron, 314th Tactical Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
2. October 1992 – May 1994, Chief, Construction Flight, 39th Contracting Squadron, 39th Airlift Wing, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
3. May 1994 – August 1994, Director, Business Programs, 39th Contracting Squadron, 39th Airlift Wing, Incirlik AB, Turkey
4. August 1994 – July 1995, Student, Education with Industry, Pratt & Whitney, Government Engines & Space Propulsion, Air Force Institute of Technology, West Palm Beach, Fla.
5. July 1995 – July 1996, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Business Strategy Manager, Space & Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
6. July 1996 – July 1997, Chief, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Contract Execution, Space & Missiles Systems Center, SMC/MV, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
7. July 1997 – December 1998, Space Based Laser Business Manager, Advanced Systems Directorate, Space & Missiles Systems Center, SMC/AD, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
8. December 1998 – July 1999, Chief, Space Based Laser Business/Contracts, Advanced Systems Directorate, Space & Missiles Systems Center, SMC/AD, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
9. July 1999 – August 2000, Business Director, Space, Deputy Asst Sec (Contracting), Asst Sec of the Air Force (Acquisition), SAF/AQC, Pentagon, Washington D. C.
10. August 2000 – October 2001, Executive Officer, Deputy Asst Sec (Contracting), Asst Sec of the Air Force (Acquisition), SAF/AQC, Pentagon, Washington D. C.
11. October 2001 – October 2002, Air Force Legislative Fellowship, Office of US Senator Bob Smith, U.S. Senate, Washington D. C.
12. October 2002 – October 2004, Commander, 16th Contracting Squadron, 16th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13. October 2004 – August 2006, Deputy Chief, Space Force Enhancement Division, Directorate of Space Acquisition, Office of the Under Secretary of the AF, SAF/USA, Pentagon, Washington D. C.
14. August 2006 – May 2007, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, Deutsche Bank AG, London, England
15. May 2007 – August 2009, Director, Strategic Business Effects, Task Force for Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, OUSD(AT&L), Pentagon, Washington D. C.
16. August 2009 – June 2010, Director, Enabling Systems, Space and Intelligence Capabilities Office, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, & Logistics), (OUSD AT&L), Pentagon, Washington D. C.
17. June 2010 – July 2011, Senior Materiel Leader, Low Earth Orbit Spacecraft Acquisition Group, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
18. July 2011 – July 2012, Chief, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Acquisition Division, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
19. July 2012 – September 2014, Director, Space Superiority Systems Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
20. September 2014 – August 2015, Commander Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
21. August 2015 – April 2016, Special Assistant to the Commander for Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
22. April 2016 – present, Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
1997 Contracting Level III, Acquisition Professional Development Program
2006 Program Management, Level III, APDP
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1989
First Lieutenant May 31, 1991
Captain May 31, 1993
Major Aug. 1 2000
Lieutenant Colonel April 1, 2004
Colonel Aug. 1, 2009
Brigadier General Nov. 7, 2014