Bio
Lt Col Christopher Bailey is a Senior Military Faculty and Assistant Professor for the Department of Law at the United States Air Force Academy. He teaches the core course, Law for Air Force Officers and is also Co-Director of the Academy’s Law, Technology, and Warfare Research Cell.
Lt Col Bailey received a direct commission as an Air Force Judge Advocate and entered active duty in January 2011. Prior to teaching at the Air Force Academy, he has served as Staff Judge Advocate on three separate occasions including most recently serving as Staff Judge Advocate for Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. He has deployed with a Joint Special Operations Task Force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and served as the United States Air Force Legal Exchange Officer to Australia and Staff Judge Advocate for US Embassy-Australia. Additionally, he earned a Master of Law degree in Space, Cyber, and Telecommunications Law from the University of Nebraska College of Law.
Lt Col Bailey is admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of Texas, the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.
Education
Air War College, by correspondence (2023)
Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence (2018)
Master of Laws (LL.M.), University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, Nebraska (2017)
Squadron Officer School, in residence, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama (2015)
Juris Doctor, Chicago-Kent College of Law, Chicago, Illinois (2010)
Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas (2007)
Professional Experience
Assistant Professor of Law and Senior Military Faculty, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado (2025-Present)
Staff Judge Advocate, Space Launch Delta 30, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California (2023-2025)
Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Embassy – Australia, Canberra, Australia (2021-2023)
U.S. Air Force Exchange Officer to Australia, Directorate of International and Operations Law, Australian Defence Force, Canberra, Australia (2019-2021)
Chief of Intelligence Law, 25th Air Force, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas (2017-2019)
LL.M. Candidate, Air Force Institute of Technology/University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln, Nebraska (2016-2017)
Staff Judge Advocate, 352nd Special Operations Wing, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England (2014-2016)
Chief of International Law, 100th Air Refueling Wing, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England (2013-2014)
Chief of Operations Law and Legal Assistance, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico (2011-2013)
Legal Clerk, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida (2009)
Honors & Awards
Southwestern University Alumni Association Distinguished Professional (2025)
United States Forces in Australia Field Grade Officer of the Year (2022)
Australian Department of Defence Secretary of Defence and Chief of Defence Force Joint Commendation (2021)
Secretary of the Air Force/International Affairs Global Military Exchange Field Grade Officer of the Year (2020)
25th Air Force Staff Field Grade Officer of the Year (2018)
Air Force Special Operations Command Outstanding Judge Advocate of the Year (2014)
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (three oak leaf clusters)
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Research and Scholarly Interests
International Law
National Security Law
Cyber Law
Space Law
Publications
Code of Necessity – Lawfare During the United States Civil War in The Laws of Yesterday’s Wars (Samuel C. Duckett White ed.) (2021).
Exchange Officer Program with Major Chris Bailey, Air Force Judge Advocate Generals School Podcast Episode 12 (2020).
Women in the Crosshairs: Expanding the Responsibility to Protect to Halt Extreme Gender-Based Violence, 78 A.F.L. Rev. 75 (2018).
Networking Emergency Response: Empowering FEMA in the Age of Convergence and Cyber Critical Infrastructure, 96 Neb. L. Rev. 509 (2017).