Delta 12 welcomes new commander

Published June 5, 2024
Space Training and Readiness Command Public Affairs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AFNS) -- Space Delta 12 welcomed its new commander during a change of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base, May 31.

U.S. Space Force Col. Sacha Tomlinson succeeded U.S. Space Force Col. E. Lincoln Bonner during the ceremony, which was officiated by Space Training and Readiness Command commander, Maj. Gen. Tim Sejba.

A 1992 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Tomlinson enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1993, serving nearly six years as a biomedical equipment technician. She commissioned through Officer Training School and completed Undergraduate Space and Missile Training in 1999.

U.S. Space Force Col. E. Lincoln Bonner, Space Delta 12 outgoing commander, right, relinquishes command of Delta 12 during a change of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, May 31, 2024. (U.S. Space Force photo by Dalton Prejeant) — U.S. Space Force Col. E. Lincoln Bonner, Space Delta 12 outgoing commander, right, relinquishes command of Delta 12 during a change of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., May 31, 2024. (U.S. Space Force photo by Dalton Prejeant)

U.S. Space Force Maj. Gen. Tim Sejba, Commander of Space Training and Readiness Command, delivers remarks during the Space Delta 12 change of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., May 31, 2024. (U.S. Space Force photo by Dalton Prejeant) — U.S. Space Force Maj. Gen. Tim Sejba, commander of Space Training and Readiness Command, delivers remarks during the Space Delta 12 change of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., May 31, 2024. (U.S. Space Force photo by Dalton Prejeant)

Throughout her more than 30-year career, Tomlinson has served in a variety of positions, including assignments as a space surveillance crew commander, instructor, operations group chief of training, test director, ballistic missile defense officer and detachment and squadron commander.

Prior to assuming command of Delta 12, Tomlinson served as the test enterprise division chief for Space Training and Readiness Command.

As the commander of Delta 12, Tomlinson leads the integrated test and evaluation of U.S. Space Force capabilities to rapidly field combat-credible weapon systems and tactics. Delta 12’s priorities include increasing test expertise for combat space systems and implementing integrated tests for combat space systems through Integrated Test Forces and their subordinate Capability Test Teams.

In her inaugural address as Delta 12 commander, Tomlinson expressed her enthusiasm for the new role.

“I am ready for the challenge of growing a test enterprise to arm our warfighters with relevant, credible and timely tests, and the truth about our weapon systems to prevail in this era of great power competition,” Tomlinson said.

She concluded her remarks with a call to action for the men and women of Delta 12.

“Find someone else to raise them up, grow the next generation of leaders and innovators, share your knowledge and passion freely and enthusiastically,” she said. “Hold us accountable, push us to excellence … this is the way we grow ourselves, our community and our nation to be something worth defending and worth our sacrifices.”

U.S. Space Force Col. Sacha Tomlinson poses for a photo after assuming command of Space Delta 12 during a change of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., May 31, 2024. As the commander of Delta 12, Tomlinson leads the integrated test and evaluation of U.S. Space Force capabilities to rapidly field combat-credible weapon systems and tactics. (U.S. Space Force photo by Dalton Prejeant) — U.S. Space Force Col. Sacha Tomlinson, Space Delta 12 incoming commander, poses for a photo after assuming command of Space Delta 12 during a change of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., May 31, 2024. As the commander of Delta 12, Tomlinson leads the integrated test and evaluation of U.S. Space Force capabilities to rapidly field combat-credible weapon systems and tactics. (U.S. Space Force photo by Dalton Prejeant)

U.S. Space Force Col. Sacha Tomlinson, Space Delta 12 incoming commander, provides remarks after assuming command of Delta 12 during a change of command ceremony at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., May 31, 2024. As the commander of Delta 12, Tomlinson leads the integrated test and evaluation of U.S. Space Force capabilities to rapidly field combat-credible weapon systems and tactics. (U.S. Space Force photo by Dalton Prejeant)

In Bonner’s outgoing remarks, he emphasized the importance of the test and evaluation mission.

“Putting combat credibility into our weapon systems and the test mission is a visible demonstration to America’s adversaries that we have the capability to act, that we have the capability to thwart aggression,” Bonner said. “But it is also foundational to our will to act because we have confidence in the combat effectiveness of our weapon systems, their lethality, their survivability, their ease of use and it gives our senior leaders the confidence to act should the need arise.”

In his final remarks as the commander, Bonner reflected on the team’s accomplishments and the significance of their efforts.

“What this team does every day is foundational to the nation’s security, both to avoid war and to fight and win should the need arise. I am so proud of everything we have done. Test and evaluation are all about stepping into the unknown, learning what’s there, and figuring it out. So, I just want to say thank you for bringing that spirit to our mission every day. I’m going to miss being a part of that, but I am so excited to see how you bring that forward to Col. Tomlinson and what you do with that spirit and approach in the future.”