U.S. Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, head of U.S. Forces Korea, greets Space Forces Korea's new leader, Col. Dorian Hatcher, during a change-of-command ceremony at Osan Air Base, South Korea, June 2, 2026. (Alejandro Carrasquel/Stars and Stripes)
OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — Space Forces Korea welcomed a new commander Tuesday as senior military leaders pointed to North Korea’s growing missile threats as evidence of the importance of space operations on the Korean Peninsula.
Col. Dorian Hatcher assumed command from Col. John Patrick during a ceremony at Osan’s Enlisted Club.
“North Korea continues to pursue increasingly sophisticated missile- and space-enabled capabilities while strategic competition across the Indo-Pacific accelerates at a historic pace,” Brig. Gen. Brian Denaro, commander of Space Forces Indo-Pacific, told those gathered for the ceremony.
The peninsula’s security environment “remains dynamic and complex,” he said, adding that the United States and South Korea are modernizing their alliance to address evolving challenges and strengthen cooperation.
Space Forces Korea, activated in December 2022, provides missile warning, communications, intelligence integration and other space-enabled capabilities supporting U.S. and allied operations on the peninsula, Denaro said.
Hatcher previously served as deputy commander for operations at Space Launch Delta 30 on Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
He reflected on his first deployment to South Korea as an Army private.
U.S. Space Forces Korea's outgoing leader, Col. John Patrick, greets his replacement, Col. Dorian Hatcher, during their change-of-command ceremony at Osan Air Base, South Korea, June 2, 2026. (Alejandro Carrasquel/Stars and Stripes)
Brig. Gen. Brian Denaro, left, head of U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific, passes the unit colors to Space Forces Korea's new commander, Col. Dorian Hatcher, at Osan Air Base, South Korea, June 2, 2026. (Alejandro Carrasquel/Stars and Stripes)
Where “I once looked only to the ground, I now look toward the stars,” he said at the ceremony.
The San Antonio native enlisted in the Army in 1992 as a wheeled vehicle mechanic before transferring to explosive ordnance disposal, according to his online Army profile. He commissioned as an officer in 2001 and transferred to the Space Force in 2023. His military service includes deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
“The threats we face in this contested domain are real, but our shared resolve is stronger,” Hatcher said. “Any adversaries … will find only our unwavering strength. Together, we will ensure that the space domain remains secure and that the beacon of liberty continues to shine.”
Denaro said the Space Force was created to meet the demands of today’s strategic environment and emphasized the importance of developing Guardians’ warfighting readiness while strengthening cooperation with South Korea.
Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea, Combined Forces Command and United Nations Command, attended the ceremony along with U.N. Command Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Scott Winter of the Australian army.
Patrick, who is headed to Space Forces Japan, headquartered at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo, had led Space Forces Korea since July 2024.
