Brig. Gen. Anthony Cotton is responsible for the processing and launching of U.S. government and commercial satellites from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. He is also the final approval authority for all launches on the Eastern Range, a 15-million-square-mile area which supports an average of 20 launches per year aboard Delta, Atlas, Falcon, Navy and emerging launch vehicles. In addition, he manages wing launch and range infrastructure supporting NASA, commercial and missile test missions.

Cotton entered the Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1986. He started his career as a missile officer and has assumed various positions. He previously commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels. He also served as a command inspector while assigned to 20th Air Force and as an executive Officer to the commander, 14th Air Force. As commander, 3rd Space Launch Squadron, he was responsible for the launch operations of Atlas II AS medium and Titan-IVB heavy launch vehicles. The general also served as a wing cice commander, deputy operations group commander and as the deputy director, secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force Executive Action Group, and aenior military assistant to the under secretary of Defense for Intelligence. He was the commander of the Space Operations Group, as well as the Deputy Site Commander of a 3,000-plus-person satellite ground station responsible for the day-to-day and long-term mission success of several multi-billion-dollar national space programs.

Prior to his current assignment, Cotton served as the commander, 341st Missile Wing, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., responsible for the operation, maintenance and security of the intercontinental ballistic missile force in central Montana. The wing provides deterrence for the nation by operating a force of 4,000 personnel and 150 Minuteman III ICBMs located throughout a 13,800-square-mile complex.