Col. Stephen J. Dillon is the Commander of the 253rd Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group (CEIG), Massachusetts Air National Guard (ANG), Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. Col. Dillon’s duties and responsibilities as the Group Commander include ensuring the eight Engineering Installation Squadrons assigned to the 253 CEIG are prepared to provide expeditionary cyberspace telecommunications infrastructure; cable and antenna; radar, airfield and weather systems to combat forces around the globe.
Col. Dillon received his commission through the Academy of Military Science in June 2000 and was assigned to the 253rd Combat Communications Group as a Group Engineer. He was called to active duty in January 2002 for Operation Noble Eagle and Operation Enduring Freedom to support the Communications Directorate, Headquarters Air Combat Command as the Officer-In-Charge of the Contingency Action Team Support Cell, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. After demobilization in February 2003, he transferred to the 267th CBCS as the Squadron Engineer. In January 2006, Col. Dillon was assigned to the Information Systems Flight while continuing in his role as Squadron Engineer. In September 2007, Col. Dillon deployed to Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq for a four-month air expeditionary rotation. He was assigned to the 506th Expeditionary Communication Squadron as the Information Systems Flight Commander, overseeing the bases network providing mission critical services for over 1,400 Air Force, Army and coalition forces. Col. Dillon took Command of the 267th CBCS in March 2013, and was soon tested with deploying the Joint Incident Site Communications Capability in response to the Boston marathon terrorist attack, providing critical communications to the Boston police commissioner and his staff. In April 2015, he was assigned to the 253rd CEIG as the Chief, Engineering, Plans and Logistics Division. In April 2017, Col. Dillon led a short-notice deployment to Iraq, leading a 3-man ADVON team, directly supporting the combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve out of Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. This resulted in developing a comprehensive strategic infrastructure plan, enabling Engineering Installation to support mission efforts at multiple joint and coalition locations in the Combined Joint Operations Area. Prior to his current position, Col. Dillon was the Deputy Commander of the 253rd CEIG.
EDUCATION
1992 Associates of Science Degree, Aeronautical Technology, Community College of the Air Force
1993 Associates of Science Degree, Electrical Engineering Technology, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, Mass.
1995 Bachelor of Science Degree, Electrical Engineering Technology, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, Massachusetts
2000 Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee
2008 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Masters of Science Degree in Telecommunications, Boston University, Boston, Mass.
2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
ASSIGNMENTS
- June 2000-January 2002, Group Engineer, 253rd CCG, Otis Air National Guard Base, Mass.
- January 2002-February 2003, ACC/SC, OIC, Contingency Action Team Support Cell, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
- February 2003-September 2006, Squadron Engineer, 267 CBCS, Otis ANG Base, Mass.
- September 2007- January 2008, Information Systems Flight Commander, Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq
- January 2006-April 2013, Flight Commander/ Squadron Engineer, 267 CBCS, Otis ANG Base, Mass.
- March 2013-March 2015, Commander, 267 CBCS, Otis ANG Base, Mass.
- March 2015-May 2019, Chief, SCX Engineering, Plans & Logistics Division, 253 CEIG, Otis ANG Base, Mass.
- April 2017-August 2017, ADVON team OIC, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait
- May 2019-May 2020, Deputy Commander, 253 CEIG, Otis ANG Base, Mass.
- May 2020-Present, Commander, 253 CEIG, Otis ANG Base, Mass.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2000 Distinguished Graduate, Academy of Military Science
2010 Outstanding Communications Officer of the year for the Air National Guard
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Certified Information Systems Security Professional
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 30, 2000
First Lieutenant June 30, 2002
Captain June 30, 2004
Major, Dec. 18, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel Sept. 12, 2014
Colonel, June 6, 2019
(Current as of July 2024)