Lieutenant Colonel Lackey is an Acquisitions Program Manager and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Geosciences for the Department of Economics and Geosciences teaching Geospatial Science 351: Physical Geography Geospatial Science 355: Field Experience in the Geosciences.  He has served as a program manager for US Transportation Command where he led a $64M software modernization effort of the US Air Force's Consolidated Air Mobility Planning System.  He has also served on the Commander's Action Group for the Space and Missile Systems Center, as the Systems and Engineering lead and on the Launch Integration team for the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite constellation, as an Instructor of Geosciences course directing Social Science 412: Geopolitics, as a turbine engine test manager, and as a fabrications and laboratories project manager.  When not in the classroom with cadets, Lt Col Lackey can usually be found with his family rock climbing, wood working, or playing board games.

​Ph.D. – University of Hawaii – Honolulu, HI, May 2019
Major: Earth and Planetary Science
Thesis title: Tectonic Influences on Surficial Processes and Deformation Along the Nankai Accretionary Prism, Southwest Japan

M.S. – Mississippi State University – Mississippi State, MS, Aug 2011
Major: Geosciences

B.S. – Valdosta State University – Valdosta, GA, May 2008
Major: Chemistry

​Assistant Professor of Geosciences, US Air Force Academy, CO, 06/2022 – present

Consolidate Air Mobility Planning System Increment I Program Manager, Scott AFB, IL, 07/2019 – 06/2022

Air Force Institute of Technology sponsored PhD Student, University of Hawaii, HI, 07/2016 – 06/2019

Instructor of Geosciences, US Air Force Academy, CO, 2014 – 2016

Action Officer for Space and Missile Systems Center Commander’s Action Group, Los Angeles AFB, CA, 09/2013 – 05/2014

Lead, Advanced Extremely High Frequency Systems Engineering & Operations, Los Angeles AFB, CA, 12/2012 – 08/2013

Acquisitions Officer, Advanced Extremely High Frequency Launch Integration, Los Angeles AFB, CA, 12/2011 – 12/2012

Turbine Engine Test Manager, Arnold AFB, TN, 05/2010 – 12/2011

Fabrications and Laboratories Project Manager, Arnold AFB, TN, 05/2008 – 05/2010

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air and Space Commendation Medal, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster

Air and Space Achievement Medal, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster

Joint Meritorious Unit Award

Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award, 4 Oak Leaf Clusters

National Defense Service Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Air and Space Longevity Service Award, 2 Oak Leaf Clusters

Developmental Special Duty Ribbon

Air and Space Training Ribbon

​Lt Col Lackey's research interests rest with the earth and the physical processes that shape it.  This includes plate tectonics and its influence on the crust and upper mantle, terrestrial and submarine surficial processes, structural geology, and geomorphology.  He is also interested in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, specifically, how the physical environment of USAFA and instructor leadership traits affect student learning.