LTC Melissa Salamanca

Lt. Col. Melissa Salamanca was raised in Massachusetts and received her commission in the Military Intelligence Corps from Norwich University in 2006. Her first assignment was as an Imagery Intelligence Platoon Leader in the Military Intelligence Company of 2^nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 2^nd Brigade Combat Team, 10^th Mountain Division. She deployed to Iraq in 2007 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, where her platoon provided Shadow Uncrewed Aircraft System intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability and Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System processing, exploitation, and dissemination for the brigade.

Following redeployment, Salamanca was selected as Aide de Camp for the 10^th Mountain Division Rear Commander then deployed again to Iraq with 2^nd Brigade Combat Team from 2009 to 2010 as S2 of 210^th Brigade Support Battalion, providing intelligence support to sustainment operations and liaison with Iraqi military and civilian leaders across the brigade’s area of operations.

After completion of the Military Intelligence Captains Career Course, Salamanca was assigned as a counterinsurgency instructor at the Military Intelligence Basic Officer Leader Course and was subsequently selected for command of Charlie Company, 305^th Military Intelligence Battalion, responsible for training all-source intelligence Soldiers. Following command, Salamanca returned to 304^th Military Intelligence Battalion as Course Manager of the Geospatial Intelligence and Signals Intelligence Officer Courses and concluded her assignment at Fort Huachuca as Assistant Brigade S3 in 111^th Military Intelligence Brigade.

Salamanca completed the Advanced Civil Schooling program at the University of Arizona then the Command and General Staff Officer’s Course and the Advanced Military Studies Program at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and was assigned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. There she served as Future Operations Planner in the I Corps G35, Executive Officer of 109^th Military Intelligence Battalion, and S2 of 555^th Engineer Brigade.

Most recently, Salamanca stood up the Office of Intelligence at the National Reconnaissance Office in Chantilly, Virginia, and served as its Chief of Staff and Deputy Senior Intelligence Officer, responsible for coordination and synchronization of threat intelligence functions across the National Reconnaissance Office in support of space research, design, acquisition, launch, operations, sustainment, and protection.

Salamanca’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Parachutist Badge, and German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. She holds an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Education from Cochise College, a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and a Master of Arts in Diplomacy from Norwich University, a Master of Science in Cellular and Molecular Medicine from the University of Arizona, and a Master of Arts in Military Operations from the School of Advanced Military Studies.

Salamanca and her husband have three children.

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