General Leonard, after 31 years of active military service, recently retired from the U.S. Air Force. At his last military assignment, he served as the Deputy Commander and Director of Operations, Combined Joint Task Force - Space Operations, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, where he initially led the planning and execution of the command’s standup, and currently leads global operational-level planning, fires, and maneuver for United States Space Command to maintain U.S. and allied advantage in space in support of the joint forces and global security.

Prior to that, General Leonard was the Chief of Staff, United States Space Command, where he led the standup of the 11th Combatant Command, from its inception to beyond initial operational capability. He also commanded the 56th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, and served as the Director of Air Operations, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, the Commander, 321st Air Expeditionary Wing, and the Commander, Task Force - Air, Union III, Baghdad, Iraq where he led a task-organized unit across 11 locations in Iraq and Syria. Additionally, General Leonard served as the Deputy Commander, 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force, Levant, Union III, Baghdad, Iraq, and has commanded numerous other units including: the 16th Weapons Squadron, USAF Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nevada; 451st Expeditionary Operations Group, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan; and the 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, South Korea.