Second Lieutenant Pavel Buechter was commissioned in 2023 and is currently stationed at Vandenberg Space Force Base in central California, where he is a mission integrator with the 2nd Range Operations Squadron, where he manages and integrates government and commercial launches at Vandenberg.

In this role, he works with contractors like Northrop Grumman, Firefly Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Stratolaunch and SpaceX.

He supports the launch service providers by making sure they abide by range policy and procedures, along with managing their use of government launch infrastructure.

Buechter represents the range and the Space Force to mission partners, and helps establish the path to mission success. His current focus is managing the restoration and revitalization of a launch complex to support its first mission in more than 15 years.

Buechter, who is cross trained as a Range Operations Commander (ROC), has overseen the launch of various commercial SpaceX launch missions.

In 2023, Buechter was awarded the U.S. Space Force quarterly award for commitment. He has also been awarded various team awards for mission integration and nuclear deterrence.

He said his favorite part of the job is getting to be a part of the team that, “launches rockets and puts satellites into orbit to support the warfighter downrange.”

Buechter said he chose UofL because of the fully online master’s degree and how well UofL supports its military-connected students. The program is also offered at a reduced tuition rate, which matches the military tuition assistance rate.

Buechter said his degree will help him better oversee Space Force projects and make him a better leader.

He is also an active duty U.S. Space Force Officer assigned to the 613^th Air Operations Center at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Specifically, he serves as a bounty hunter liaison officer.

Lacourrege, who hails from Ridgeland, Mississippi, originally entered the Air Force in 2016 as a space operations officer. In 2020, he was among the first servicemembers to transition into the new U.S. Space Force. In addition to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, his other assignments include Vandenberg Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and Peterson Space Force Base.

During his time in the Air Force and the Space Force, he’s attended schools like the Satellite Vehicle Operator Initial Qualification Training, the Advanced Payload Engineering Course, and the Advanced Satellite Communications Planner Course. He’s earned the Air Force Commendation Medal, Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal, Combat Readiness Medal and Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal.

Lacourrege said community environment and welcoming accommodations were factors in him choosing UofL. He also cited ease of access to university amenities, certification programs, and academic tools which make it simple for him to prepare for success in his degree program.

“UofL feels like a family even though I may be a distance student,” he said. 

Lacourrege said CEHD’s Ron Sheffield, his academic adviser, and Nina Marijanovic, coordinator of admissions, as well as Delphi Center’s Veronica Johnson have been extremely helpful during his transition into the M.S. HROD program.­­

Not only does he plan to learn mastery of the subject through his M.S. HROD degree, but he plans to utilize the knowledge and skills he acquires to be able to implement effective leadership qualities in his Space Force career. 

UofL recognizes Lacourrege in celebration of the second birthday of the U.S. Space Force on December 20, 2021.