STAFF SERGEANT DARIEN COLES
Operations Superintendent
Staff Sergeant Darien Coles enlisted in the United States Air Force in March 2018. He completed technical training for Client Systems and Information Technology in July 2018. His first duty station was Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama, where he served as a Cyber Systems Technician supporting network operations, account management, and end-user support across multiple mission systems.
In 2019, SSgt Coles was selected to serve as a member of the Maxwell Air Force Base Honor Guard, representing the Air Force in 96 ceremonial details across Alabama and neighboring states. His professionalism and dedication to honoring fallen service members earned him the Air Force Achievement Medal.
In 2022, SSgt Coles was selected as the Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) of IT Asset Management for Gunter AFB. In this role, he oversaw accountability and lifecycle management for thousands of Air Force-owned IT assets, optimizing equipment utilization and ensuring compliance with Department of Defense standards.
In 2023, he deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, where he served with the 378th Communications Squadron. During this deployment, he supported theater-wide communications infrastructure and cyber operations in support of joint and coalition missions.
In 2025, SSgt Coles assumed the role of NCOIC of the Threat Assessment Team for BESPIN (Business and Enterprise Systems Product Innovation) at Gunter AFB. In this position, he led cybersecurity monitoring and threat-hunting efforts to protect innovative Air Force software development environments, strengthening the cyber defense posture of Air Education and Training Command (AETC) initiatives.
