Col Gardner is the Director of Space Strategy, Policy, and Plans at Headquarters US Space Force, the Pentagon. In that role he is responsible for the development, synchronization, and publication of Space Force institutional visions, strategies, policies and campaign plans to support national security objectives and policies. Prior to his current role Colonel Gardner served as Space Force service chair, National Security Studies Department Chair, and Assistant Professor at The Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. While at the Eisenhower School he taught a range of topics including Space warfighting; Military Strategy; Strategic leadership; Industrial Mobilization; and Nuclear Command, Control, & Communications (NC3).