Lt Col Rachel L. Reynolds is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Security Studies at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS) Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base (AFB) SAASS is a selective one-year graduate school for strategists with 17 terminally credentialed faculty and 45 Air Force, Department of Defense, and international students annually. As an assistant professor, she is responsible for creating warrior-scholars who have a superior ability to develop, evaluate, and employ airpower as a component of military force in support of national objectives.
Lt Col Reynolds grew up in Houston, Texas and entered the U.S. Air Force Academy in June 2003. She has supported NATO nuclear surety, theater air control, cyber and command & control technical training, and Indo- Pacific communications; she has taught in the Air Force Academy biology department; and she has deployed in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM and ENDURING FREEDOM, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, and the Air Defense of the Arabian Gulf. Prior to her current assignment, Lt Col Reynolds commanded the 18th Communications Squadron at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.
EDUCATION
2007 Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Biochemistry, USAF Academy, Colo.
2007 Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
2007 Deployable & Tactical Communications Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2008 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Network Operations Course, Keesler AFB, Miss.
2011 Master of Arts in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder
2012 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Cyber 200, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
2019 Master of Science & Technology Intelligence with a concentration in Cyber Intelligence & Data Analytics, National Intelligence University, Bethesda, Md.
2020 Master of Philosophy in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2021 Certificate in Data Analysis & Visualization, McCombs School of Business, University of Texas, Austin
2023 Doctor of Philosophy, Public Policy, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas, Austin
ASSIGNMENTS
August 2007 – December 2009, Postal Operations Officer in Charge (OIC), Section Commander, and Operations Flight Deputy Commander, 31st Communications Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy (March 2009 – October 2009, Mission Operations Center OIC, 586th Air Expeditionary Group, Ali Al Salem AB, Kuwait)
January 2010 – May 2011, Student, University of Colorado, Boulder
June 2011 – June 2014, Network Systems Flight Commander and Mission Systems Flight Commander, 726th Air Control Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho (January 2012 – July 2012, Director of Maintenance, 71st
Expeditionary Air Control Squadron, Al Udeid AB, Qatar; January 2014 – May 2014, Commander, 73d Expeditionary
Air Control Squadron, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan)
June 2014 – June 2016, Executive Officer and Assistant Professor of Biology, USAF Academy, Colo.
June 2016 – June 2018, Director of Operations, 336th and 334th Training Squadrons, Keesler AFB, Miss.
July 2018 – July 2019, Student, National Intelligence University, Bethesda, Md.
July 2019 – June 2020, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
June 2020 – May 2023, Student, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas, Austin
June 2023 – July 2025, Commander, 18th Communications Squadron, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan
August 2025 – Present, Assistant Professor of Strategy and Security Studies, School of Advanced Air and Space
Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
NATO Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2007 Top Graduate, Basic Communications Officer Training
2007 Top Graduate, Deployable & Tactical Communications Course
2008 Outstanding Academics, Air and Space Basic Course
2009 United States Air Forces in Europe General John P. Jumper Warfighting Integration Officer Award
2012 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School
2012 552d Air Control Wing Company Grade Officer of the Year
2014 552d Air Control Wing Lance P. Sijan Junior Officer Award
2016 USAF Academy Character and Honor Liaison Officer of the Year
2017 Air Education and Training Command Outstanding Field Grade Cyberspace Operations Officer of the Year
2020 Air University Foundation Best Thesis in Security Studies
2020 Top Graduate, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies
2024 Fifth Air Force Outstanding Field Grade Cyberspace Operations Officer of the Year
2025 Inducted into the Honorable Order of St. Barbara, 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment
PUBLICATIONS
"The Fanner Honey Bee: Behavioral Variability and Environmental Cues in Workers Performing a Specialized Task,"
Journal of Insect Behavior, March 2013
"The Airmen We Need: Americans with Disabilities in the Air Force," War on the Rocks, April 2019
"Genetic Intelligence and the Intel Community's Duty to Warn," National Intelligence Press, February 2020
"Strategy Verbs Theory: A Dysfunctional Relationship," The Strategy Bridge, February 2020
"Space 2035: A Surplus of Uncertainty and a Deficit of Trust," Mad Scientist Laboratory, US Army Training & Doctrine Command, May 2020
"What My Vaccine Record Says About Me," Air Force Times, October 2021
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2007
First Lieutenant May 30, 2009
Captain May 30, 2011
Major March 1, 2017
Lieutenant Colonel October 1, 2021