Col Steven Bauman is commander, 341st Security Forces Group, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, home of the largest security forces group in the United States Air Force. He leads five security forces squadrons of more than 1,200 personnel in providing security and force protection for the 341st Missile Wing, including its main operating base, 15 launch control centers and 150 intercontinental ballistic missiles deployed across 13,800-square-miles in central Montana.
Col Bauman was commissioned in 1998 as a graduate of the Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Norwich University, Vt. Upon commissioning, he was assigned to Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB), Mont., as a Security Forces Flight Commander for the 564th Missile Squadron and later a convoy commander for the 741st Security Forces Squadron. He subsequently served in various squadron level company grade officer roles at Kunsan Air Base (AB), McChord AFB, and RAF Lakenheath. Col Bauman’s first command was at Minot AFB, N.D., in 2007 where he led the 91st Security Support Squadron to “Best Small Security Forces Squadron” in Air Force Space Command. He commanded twice more at the United States Air Force Academy and Malmstrom AFB. In 2014, Col Bauman served on the Air Staff where he designed, authored, and tested Arming and Use of Force standards as a reliability program for the Air Force’s 38,000 security forces. This change widened the aperture for Security Forces to be eligible for nuclear weapons related duties. He subsequently served as the Senior Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection. Col Bauman followed that assignment as a Visiting Fellow at the Henry L. Stimson Center, where he worked with federal and international partners to grow national and international standards for security and safeguarding nuclear material. Afterwards, he served on the Joint Staff as a Presidential Strike Advisor where he led a team of Nuclear Command and Control, and Missile Warning experts in their strategic deterrence mission. Prior to his current assignment, Col Bauman served in the Office of the Primary Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of Defense, Pentagon, Washington D.C. As a Cyber Advisor, he reported on the implementation of the Department of Defense Cyber Strategy. In this role, he provided oversight and coordinated with the National Security Council to secure our nation’s critical infrastructure and weapon systems against malicious cyber activity. Col Bauman has deployed three times in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice, Norwich University, Vt.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2008 Master of Arts, International Relations and Conflict Resolution, AMU
2010 US Army Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, Kan.
2015 Air War College, by correspondence
2018 National Defense Fellowship, Henry L. Stimson Center, Washington D.C.
2021 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler Business School, Chapel Hill, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1998 – December 2000, Security Forces Flight Commander, 564th Missile Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
2. December 2000 – January 2001, Convoy Commander, 741st Security Forces Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
3. January 2001 – January 2002, Sector Commander, 8th Security Forces Squadron, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea (October 2001-November 2001, Chief of Security of Security Forces, Gwang Ju AB, Republic of Korea)
4. January 2002 – June 2004, Officer in Charge, Training & Resources, 62d Security Forces Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.(August 2002 – December 2002, Operations Officer, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)5. June 2004 – June 2007, Operations Officer, 48th Security Forces Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom (August 2006 –March 2007, Operations Officer, Forward Operating Base Warrior, Iraq)
6. June 2007 – June 2009, Commander, 91st Security Support Squadron, Minot AFB, N.D.
7. June 2009 – June 2010, Student, United States Army Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, Kan.
8. July 2010 – May 2012, Commander, 10th Security Forces Squadron, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
9. June 2012 – July 2014, Commander, 341st Security Forces Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
10. July 2014 – June 2016, Chief, Nuclear Security Policy Branch, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
11. June 2016 – July 2017, Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff/Logistics, Engineering & Force Protection, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
12. July 2017 – June 2018, National Defense Fellow, Henry L. Stimson Center, Washington D.C.
13. June 2018 – July 2020, Presidential Strike Advisor, Joint Staff, Nuclear Operations, Space Operations, and Homeland Defense, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
14. July 2020 – July 2021, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Primary Cyber Advisor, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
15. July 2021 - Present, Commander, 341st Security Forces Group, Malmstrom AFB, Mont.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation medal with four oak leaf clusters Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star device
Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2018 – July 2020, Presidential Strike Advisor, Joint Staff: Nuclear Operations, Space Operations, and Homeland
Defense, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a colonel
2. July 2020 – Present, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Primary Cyber Advisor, Pentagon, Washington D.C., as a colonel
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Air Force Space Command Lance P. Sijan Award, Company Grade Officer Category
2007 Led 91st Security Support Squadron to “Best Small SF Unit Award” in AFSPC
(Current as of July 2021)