Chief Master Sgt. Ryan Rathbun is the State Command Chief for the Delaware Air National Guard. He serves as the advisor to The Adjutant General Commander of the Delaware National Guard and staff on all matters influencing the mission readiness, professional development, proper utilization, health, morale and welfare of the State’s enlisted Airmen and their families. Additionally, he disseminates the commander’s policies to all levels of senior officer and enlisted leadership.
Previously, Chief Rathbun was the Senior Enlisted Leader for the 166th Cyber Operations Squadron, Delaware Air National Guard. Chief Rathbun was responsible for overseeing and coordinating the squadron's cyber operations, to include the training and readiness of its members and the execution of both federal and state cyber missions.
Chief Rathbun entered the Delaware Army National Guard in 2001, entering the service as a 31 Foxtrot, Network Switching Systems Operator/Maintainer in the 280th Signal Battalion, Newport Gap Pike, Delaware. After four years in the signal Battalion, Chief Rathbun entered the Delaware Air National Guard in 2006 full-time in the 166th Security Forces Squadron where he deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
In 2009, Chief Rathbun was selected to join the 166th Network Warfare Squadron, a newly formed cyber unit in the Delaware Air National Guard and attended 3D0X2 training in Keesler AFB, where he became a Cyber Systems Operations Specialist. Early in his cyber career, Chief Rathbun certified as a 33rd NWS cybersecurity incident responder countering hundreds of threats to the Air Force’s information systems. After the creation of the 1B4 ‘Cyber Warfare Operations' career field, Chief Rathbun became a Cyber Planner and has performed three CNMF deployments to Fort Meade, Maryland, combating cyber threats to the nation.
In 2015, Chief Rathbun left the Active Guard Reserve to pursue a cybersecurity career in the private sector. He became a senior penetration tester and consultant at Industrial Defender, a Lockheed Martin company. In 2018, he joined Chevon as the technical lead for the operational technology penetration testing team, performing assessments to secure critical oil and gas technology both up and downstream. In 2021, Chief Rathbun moved to lead DuPont’s incident response team, ensuring the cybersecurity of Delaware’s premier multi-industrial company. Currently, Chief Rathbun serves as DuPont’s Chief Information Security Officer.
EDUCATION
2005 Bachelor of Arts, Criminal Justice, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
2012 Master of Science, Information Security, Capitol Technology University, Laurel, Maryland
ASSIGNMENTS
- February 2001 – October 2005, Network Switching Systems Operator/Maintainer, 280th Signal Battalion, Newport Gap Pike Armory, Delaware
- October 2005 – April 2009, Security Forces Journeyman, 166th Security Forces Squadron, New Castle County Airbase, Delaware
- April 2009 – June 2026, Cyberspace Operations, 166th Cyberspace Operations Squadron, New Castle County Airbase, Delaware
- June 2026 – Present, State Command Chief Master Sergeant, Delaware Air National Guard
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Staff Sergeant July 13, 2005
Technical Sergeant July 31, 2009
Master Sergeant December 1, 2016
Senior Master Sergeant November 1, 2019
Chief Master Sergeant March 28, 2023
Command Chief Master Sergeant June 1, 2026
(Current as of AUG 2026)