He initially served as a propulsion test engineer for F-16/B-1/F-22 aircraft and transitioned to the space environment with an National Reconnaissance Office operations tour. Next, he led headquarters Air Force Space Command planning for the satellite control network and counterspace mission areas, before returning to the Air Force Academy for a teaching assignment and Air Force Institute of Technology doctorate degree assignment. Colonel Haymond returned to the space arena to work Space Commission implementation, and subsequently managed the space and missile legislative portfolio as a Secretary of the Air Force legislative liaison. He returned to space operations as the director of operations and commander of the 1st Air and Space Test Squadron and then as deputy commander of the 30th Launch Group, Vandenberg AFB, Calif. Prior to this assignment, Colonel Haymond was assigned to the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. as an Air Force Fellow.