For veterans, the call to serve is a lifelong commitment, a drive that often continues beyond active duty and into retirement. Tony Lakin, M.S.I.T., UT Southwestern’s Vice President and  Chief Information Security Officer, was no different. 

A U.S. Air Force veteran, Mr. Lakin honorably served 23 years of active duty in multiple roles, culminating as the Director of Operations for the Air Force’s premier cyber warfare squadron based at Fort Meade, Maryland, directing cyber operations in support of national strategic objectives, the FBI, and the CIA.

In 1992, then-Senior Airman Tony Lakin receives an incentive flight in an F-16 D-model trainer at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska.

In honor of Veterans Day, Mr. Lakin will be the keynote speaker at UT Southwestern’s 11th annual Tribute to Veterans Celebration. The Nov. 11 event will be held in D1.502 on South Campus, beginning with a light lunch reception at 11:30 a.m., followed by his presentation at noon.

During his military career, Mr. Lakin deployed for over 300 days on three separate occasions to the Middle East. His proudest moment occurred on a deployment in Iraq, he said, when the loss of life and risk of injury were significant. Mr. Lakin commanded an information technology team, responsible for establishing computer networks and telephone systems supporting the command and control of over 4,000 service members. His actions directly contributed to the successful activation of over 1,800 combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and ensured all assigned airmen returned home safely. During that time, he discovered the importance of leadership and teamwork.

Maj. Lakin and his wife, Master Sgt. Sonya Lakin, attend his retirement ceremony in 2011.

“That’s when I truly understood American author and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek’s quote that being a leader is not about being in charge, it’s about taking care of those in your charge,” he said.

Mr. Lakin’s most important takeaway from the Air Force was the power of uniting for the greater good.

“Serving is a calling. It’s the epitome of sacrifice and putting others before yourself,” he said. “Veterans come together to take care of each other and achieve goals. You never do great things alone, and the individual contributions of team members directly contribute to achieving the mission.”

The same is true at UT Southwestern.

As UTSW’s principal cybersecurity adviser, Mr. Lakin ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the institution’s critical data and information systems while minimizing cyber risks and malicious threats. While he has over 30 years of experience in cybersecurity leadership, strategy, and engineering, the Air Force continues to shape the work he does today. His military experience first introduced him to cyber warfare, or the use of cyberattacks to damage or disrupt computer networks and digital systems.

After Mr. Lakin retired from the Air Force in 2011, he stayed true to his passion for serving, seeking a career that could utilize his military knowledge and skills to support the community and leave a lasting impact. He chose health care because health network infrastructures are heavily targeted by cybercriminals for their sensitive data.

What he finds most rewarding now is supporting UTSW’s faculty, staff, and students and furthering the institution’s mission.

“Serving has become ingrained in my DNA. Health care workers look to serve others, and I wanted a sense of belonging and service where what I do contributes to something larger than me,” he said. “Cyber- and information security helps protect information, supports patient outcomes, and ensures our researchers have access to necessary data. We’re always striving to get better in our work and provide excellence in all that we do.”