Dennis Bythewood

Dennis Bythewood
Official portrait, 2024
Bornc. 1970 (age 54–55)
AllegianceUnited States
Branch
United States Air Force
Years of service
1992–2021 (Air Force)
  • 2021–present (Space Force)
RankMajor General
Commands
Remote Sensing Systems Directorate
AwardsLegion of Merit (2)
Alma mater
University of Vermont (BS)
Spouse(s)
Jahnna Perkin
​
(m. 1998)​

Dennis O. Bythewood (born c. 1970) is a United States Space Force major general who served as the deputy commander of the United States Space Forces – Space. He previously served as the commander of Joint Task Force–Space Defense and deputy commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command.[1]

Education

  • 1992 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT.
  • 1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL.
  • 2003 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, AL.
  • 2004 Master of Business Administration, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, CO.
  • 2007 Air War College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, AL.

Military career

Bythewood with Lt Gen Greaves as he takes the helm of the Remote Sensing Systems Directorate, 2016

Bythewood served as the director for special programs of the Space and Missile Systems Center. He was nominated in January 2021 for promotion to brigadier general and transfer to the United States Space Force.[2][3]

In April 2024, Bythewood was nominated for promotion to major general. His nomination was confirmed on May 2, 2024.[4] On May 3, 2024, he was promoted to major general.[5]

Assignments

Bythewood tours Secretary Kendall at Schriever Space Force Base, 2021

1. October 1992 – June 1996, Range System Manager, 501st Range Squadron, Hill AFB, UT
2. July 1996 – August 1999, Electric Combat Analyst and Chief, Unmanned Air Vehicle Branch, Detachment 1, 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, Kirtland AFB, NM
3. August 1999 – June 2002, Chief, Test and Certification, System Test Division, Milstar Joint Program Office, Los Angeles AFB, CA
4. July 2002 – October 2005, Chief of Engineering, Operations Support Flight Commander and Operations Officer, 4th Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, CO
5. November 2005 – July 2007, Chief, MILSATCOM Operations Branch, HAF/DCS, Air, Space and Information Operations, Plans, Requirements, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
6. August 2007 – May 2009, Executive Officer, SAF/SO, Air Forces Smart Operations, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
7. June 2009 – June 2011, Commander, Space Communications Operations Squadron, Network Operations Group, Mission Operations Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office, Los Angeles, CA
8. July 2011 – July 2013, Materiel Leader, Space Based Infrared System Production, Infrared Space Systems Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, CA
9. August 2013 – June 2014, Director, Ground Frontiers Office, Ground Enterprise Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, VA
10. July 2014 – June 2016, Commander, 50th Operations Group, Schriever AFB, CO
11. July 2016 – December 2016, Special Assistant to the Director, Remote Sensing Systems Directorate, Los Angeles AFB, CA
12. December 2016 – October 2018, Senior Materiel Leader & Director, Remote Sensing Systems Directorate, Los Angeles AFB, CA
13. October 2018 – July 2020, Director, Space Development Corps and Program Executive Officer for Space Development, Los Angeles AFB, CA
14. July 2020 – June 2021, Senior Materiel Leader and Director, Special Programs, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
15. July 2021 – November 2022, Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force-Space Defense, U.S. Space Command Schriever AFB, Colo.
15. November 2022 – December 2023, Commander, Joint Task Force-Space Defense, U.S. Space Command Schriever AFB, Colo.
16. August 2023 – December 2023, Deputy Commander, Combined Force Space Component Command, U.S. Space Command, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
17. December 2023 – July 2024, Deputy Commander, U.S. Space Forces - Space, U.S. Space Command, Vandenberg SFB, Calif.

Personal life

Bythewood married Jahnna Perkin on October 24, 1998[6][7]

Awards and decorations

Bythewood is the recipient of the following awards:

Command Space Operations Badge
Basic Parachutist Badge
Air Staff Badge
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges
 Legion of Merit with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.
 Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
 National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Bronze star
 Air and Space Campaign Medal with one bronze service star
Silver oak leaf cluster
 Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Training Ribbon

Dates of promotion

Rank Branch Date
Second Lieutenant Air Force May 15, 1992
First Lieutenant June 1, 1994
Captain June 1, 1996
Major February 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel February 1, 2008
Colonel April 1, 2014
Colonel Space Force ~September 30, 2020
Brigadier General August 17, 2021
Major General May 3, 2024

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dennis O. Bythewood.
  1. ^ Strout, Nathan (March 9, 2020). "These are the three companies developing payloads for Space Force's Protected Tactical SATCOM". C4ISRNet.
  2. ^ "Brigadier General Dennis O. Bythewood". United States Space Force. February 2024. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  3. ^ "PN44 - 4 nominees for Space Force, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. March 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "PN1587 — Space Force". U.S. Congress. April 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "S4S Deputy Commander promoted to Major General". U.S. Space Forces - Space. May 6, 2024.
  6. ^ "30 Sep 1998, 4 - Albuquerque Journal at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "8 Mar 2000, 5 - The Billings Gazette at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander of the 50th Operations Group
2014–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of the Remote Sensing Systems Directorate
2016–2018 		Directorate inactivated
New office Program Executive Officer for Space Development of the Space and Missile Systems Center
2018–2020 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Director of Special Programs of the Space and Missile Systems Center
2020–2021 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Commander of Joint Task Force–Space Defense
2021–2022 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of Joint Task Force–Space Defense
2022–2023 		Commands inactivated
Preceded by Deputy Commander of the Combined Force Space Component Command
2023
New unit Deputy Commander of the United States Space Forces – Space
2023–2024 		Succeeded by