Lieutenant Colonel Sykas, formerly Covert, attended Old Dominion University and commissioned in 2008. Following her commissioning, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas graduated The Basic School in 2009.
Lieutenant Colonel Sykas’ first duty assignment was Marine Air Control Squadron 4 (MACS-4) in Okinawa, Japan. In 2010, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas deployed to the Combined Air and Space Operations Center at Al Udeid, Qatar, for duty as the Senior Watch Officer of the Joint Interface Control Cell.
Following her tour in Okinawa, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas reported to the Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School (MCCES) as an Air Schools Instructor in Twentynine Palms, CA in April 2011. In addition to her instructor duties, Maj Sykas served as the unit Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC). As the MCCES SARC, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas led the largest Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program aboard the installation. In May 2013, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas served as Aide-de-Camp for the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center / Marine Air Ground Task Force Commanding General. Selected by the Commandant’s Career-Level Education Board, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas attended the resident Expeditionary Warfare School from 2014 to 2015 in Quantico, Virginia.
Following graduation, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas was assigned to I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) at Camp Pendleton, California, where she served as the Air Command and Control Planner. During this tour, she completed the Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) Course, Class 2-17. In June 2017, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas transferred to Marine Tactical Air Command Squadron 38 as the Assistant Operations Officer.
From June 2018 to June 2020, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas served as the Marine Air Control Squadron 2(MACS-2) Operations Officer. In March 2018, she deployed as the Marine Air Control Group 58 Executive Officer and Operations Officer in support of WTI 2-19. From June 2020 to June 2021, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas was assigned as the MACS-2 Executive Officer.
Following her tour with MACS-2, the Commandant’s Professional Intermediate-Level Education Board selected Lieutenant Colonel Sykas to attend Command and Staff College (CSC) resident course for academic year 2022 in Quantico, VA. While at CSC, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas earned a Master of Military Studies with distinction. Subsequently, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas was assigned to the Expeditionary Warfare School to serve as a Faculty Advisor.
From June 2024 to June 2025, Lieutenant Colonel Sykas served as the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Air Command and Control Officer. Following her selection on the Lieutenant Colonel Command Screening board, LtCol Sykas transferred to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing to serve as the Wing Air Command and Control Officer from July 2025 to April 2026.
Lieutenant Colonel Sykas’ personal awards include four Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals