Col. Randolph Lake is the commander of the 101st Air and Space Operations Group. He is responsible for approximately 400 Title 32 Florida Guardsmen that staff and support the 601st Air Operations Center, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The 601 AOC plans, directs, and assesses air and space operations for the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the United States Northern Command. The AOC provides aerospace warning and control for NORAD Defensive Counter Air activities, as well as directing Air Force air and space capabilities in support of USNORTHCOM homeland security and civil support missions. The 601 AOC fills the critical need to meet the challenge of directing all air sovereignty activities for the continental United States and is the new-age combat weapon system needed to fulfill that crucial defense role by remaining vigilant 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Col. Lake entered the Air Force in July 1989 as an enlisted emergency medical technician. His diverse career spans across three Air Force specialties comprised of emergency medicine, air battle management, and intelligence. Col. Lake transitioned from Active Duty Air Force to the Florida Air National Guard in September 2012.
EDUCATION
1989 Enlisted Medical Journeymen Technical School, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
1993 Airman Leadership School, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
1998 Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson
1999 Air Battle Manager Basic Officer Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
1999 E-3 Air Weapons Officer Qualification Course, Tinker AFB, Okla.
2000 Survival and Water Survival School, Fairchild AFB, Wash.
2004 Intelligence Officer Basic Course, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Intelligence Sensors Weapons Instructor Course, USAFWS, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Masters of Arts Degree, Strategic Intelligence, American Military University, W.Va.
2012 Air National Guard’s Joint Incident Awareness & Assessment Course, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
2016 Masters of Arts Degree, Strategic Studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1989–August 1989, Student, Basic Military Training, Lackland AFB, Texas
2. August 1989–December 1989, Student, Enlisted Medical Journeymen, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. December 1989–March 1990, Student, Clinical Phase Medical Training, Andrews AFB, Md.
4. March 1990–April 1992, Enlisted Medical Technician, 48th Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, UK
5. April 1992–January 1996, Emergency Medical Technician, 355th Medical Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
6. January 1996-December 1998, Student/Cadet, Detachment 020, AFROTC, University of Arizona, Tucson
7. January 1999–October 1999, Student, Air Battle Manager Officer Course, 325th Air Control Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
8. October 1999–July 2003, Air Battle Manager, E-3 AWACS Air Weapons Officer, 965th Air Control Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla.
9. July 2004-March 2004, Student, Intelligence Officer Basic Course, 315th Training Squadron, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
10. March 2004–January 2006, Mission Operations Commander and Chief of Standards and Evaluations, 30th Intelligence Squadron, 497th Intelligence Group, Langley AFB, Va.
11. January 2006–June 2006, Student, Intelligence Sensor Weapons Instructor Course, 19th Weapons Squadron, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
12. June 2006–January 2009, Intelligence Weapons Officer, 55th Electronic Combat Group, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
13. January 2009–July 2009, Chief Senior Intelligence Duty Officer, 612th Air and Space Operations Center, Davis- Monthan AFB, Ariz.
14. July 2009-July 2010, Deputy Director, Collection Management & Dissemination, USF-I J2, Camp Slayer, Iraq
15. July 2010-September 2010, Chief Senior Intelligence Duty Officer, 612th Air and Space Operations Center, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
16. September 2010–September 2012, Chief of Intelligence, 325th Fighter Wing, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
17. September 2012–July 2015, Deputy Chief Intelligence Surveillance & Reconnaissance Division, 601st Air Operations Center, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
18. July 2015–May 2016, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
19. May 2016–September 2016, Senior Air Defense Officer, 601st Air Operations Center, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
20. September 2016-September 2018, Deputy Chief Combat Plans Division, 601st Air Operations Center, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
21. September 2018–January 2020, Chief Combat Operations, 601st Air Operations Center, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
22. January 2020–February 2021, Chief Combat Plans Division, 601st Air Operations Center, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
23. February 2021–July 2021, Chief, Strategy Division, 601st Air Operations Center, 101st Air and Space
Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
24. July 2021–Present, Commander, 101st Air and Space Operations Group, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leave cluster
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Good Conduct Medal with oak leave cluster
National Defense Medal with bronze star
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two bronze stars
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star
Iraq Campaign Medal with bronze star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
Florida Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec. 18, 1998
First Lieutenant Jan. 2, 2001
Captain Jan. 2, 2003
Major Aug. 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel Apr. 26, 2013
Colonel Aug. 28, 2018
(Current as of September 2021)