Maj Melissa K. Riester

Major Melissa K. Riester is the Chief of Current Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operations and Analysis Branch for the ISR Division, HQ Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida. Major Riester leads MAJCOM analytical support and fuses best practices across the command, shaping intel production to meet priority intel requirements. The ISR analysis branch partners with theater special operations commands, COCOM intel centers, Task Forces and national intel community to provide predictive intel analysis for the command, staff, and 11 Wings and Groups world-wide. 

Major Riester earned her commission from the University of Colorado in 2003. She is a career intelligence officer with experience in targeting, wargaming, cyber, Air Force Lessons Learned, and operational test and evaluation.  She has spent time a major command and unit-level intelligence support activities.  She has deployed repeatedly in support of special operations and deployed in support of Task Force SouthEast during the Corona Virus 2019 pandemic. Prior to her current assignment she was the Director of Staff at the 605th Test & Evaluation Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida. 


EDUCATION  
2003 Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 
2004 Air Force Intelligence Officer School, Goodfellow AFB, TX 
2005 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL 
2006 Combat Targeting Course, Goodfellow AFB, TX 
2008 AFSOC Intelligence Formal Training Unit, Hurlburt Field, FL 
2011 Master’s Degree in International Relations, St Mary’s University, TX 
2011 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL 
2012 Analysis Intelligence Formal Training Unit, Goodfellow AFB, TX 
2015 Cyber Intelligence Formal Training Unit, Peterson AFB, CO 
2016 Contingency Wartime Planning Course, Maxwell AFB, AL 
2016 Joint Air Operations Planning Course, Maxwell AFB, AL 
2018 Air Command and Staff College (Correspondence), Maxwell AFB, AL
2019 Leadership Development Course for Squadron Commanders, Maxwell AFB, AL


ASSIGNMENTS  
1.   Sep 2004 – May 2005 Student: 315th Training Squadron, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2.   May 2005 – Dec 2006: Deputy Assistant Flight Commander, 12 Operations Support Squadron,  Randolph AFB, TX 
3.   Dec 2006 – Dec 2007: Chief of Targets & Exec Officer, 8th Operations Group, Kunsan AB, Republic of Korea 
4.   Jan 2008 – Oct 2009: Chief of Group Plans and Readiness, 352d Special Operations Support Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, UK 
5.   Oct 2009 – May 2011: Intel Flight Commander, 67th Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, UK 
6.   May 2011 – May 2012: Deputy Chief, ISR Force Application Branch, HQ AFSOC/A2, Hurlburt Field, FL 
7.   May 2012 – Jan 2014: Chief of Intel Training and Stan/Eval, HQ AFSOC/A2, Hurlburt Field, FL 
8.   Jan 2014 – Mar 2015: Executive Officer to the Director of ISR, HQ AFSOC/A2, Hurlburt Field, FL 
9.   Mar 2015 – Dec 2016: Deputy Chief, Security Management Division, HQ AFSOC/A2, Hurlburt Field, FL 
10.   Dec 2016 – Jul 2017: Chief of Wargaming Operations Branch, LeMay Center for Doctrine Development & Education, Maxwell AFB, AL 
11.   Jul 2017 – Jun 2018: Chief, ISR Lessons Learned Analyst, LeMay Center for Doctrine Development & Education, Maxwell AFB, AL
12.   Jun 2018 – Jul 2019: Deputy Director of Staff, LeMay Center for Doctrine Development & Education, Maxwell AFB, AL
13.   Jul 2019 – Jun 2021: Assistant Director of Operations, 605th Test & Evaluation Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL
14.   Jun 2021 – Sep 2022: Director of Staff, 605th Test & Evaluation Squadron, Hurlburt Field, FL 
15.   Sep 2022 – Jul 2023: Chief of Current ISR Operations & Analysis Branch, HQ AFSOC/A2, Hurlburt Field, FL 
16.   Jul 2023 – Present: Education Officer, AFROTC Detachment 105, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal 

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant August 21, 2003
First Lieutenant August 21, 2005
Captain August 21, 2007
Major June 1, 2015

(Current as of March 2023)