Chief Master Sergeant Jacob C. Simmons is the Senior Enlisted Leader of the Joint Task Force–Space Defense, and the Senior Enlisted Leader of the Operations Directorate, United States Space Command, Schriever Space Force, Colorado. He serves as principal advisor to the director and senior joint staff on the readiness, development, talent management, and morale of assigned military, civilian, reserve and contractor personnel executing joint, inter-agency and US Government space operations. In unified action with the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, JTF-SD organizes, trains, and equips personnel assigned to the National Space Defense Center to execute protect and defend missions, and conduct space superiority operations to deter aggression, defend national capabilities, and defeat adversaries throughout the continuum of conflict.
Chief Simmons entered the US Air Force May 1, 1992. He has served in leadership positions at squadron, group, wing, major command and Air Staff, as well as joint and multi-national duties in United States Space Command, United States Southern Command, United States Strategic Command, and North American Aerospace Defense Command. On Sept. 1, 2020, he officially transferred to the U.S. Space Force and is among the new service’s first command chiefs.
Chief Simmons has an extensive background in leveraging tactical to strategic space capabilities and effects, and significant human capital leadership and military installation operations experience. His range and depth of aerospace expertise includes: Global Missile Warning and Homeland Defense, Space Domain Awareness, Space Electronic Warfare, Military Satellite Communications, Global Positioning System, Operational Test and Evaluation, formal education and training, Aerospace Control and Warning Systems Drug Interdiction and Range Control operations, and manpower and assignment management.
EDUCATION
1992 Aerospace Control and Warning Systems Initial Qualification Training, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
1995 Joint Maritime Command Information System, Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Va.
1997 Enlisted Space Operations Training, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
1997 Defense Support Program Training, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2000 Space-Based Infrared Systems Commander Training, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2000 Global Awareness Test Manager Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2000 Air Force Satellite Control Network Course, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2003 Defense Satellite Communication System Initial Qualification Training, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2004 Advanced Space Operations School, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2005 Space Studies Certification, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2006 Associates of Applied Science, Air & Space Ops Technology, Community College of the Air Force
2006 Space 300, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2007 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education, Correspondence
2010 Senior Enlisted Leader Course, Naval Justice School, Naval AS, Norfolk, Va.
2011 Global Positioning System Initial Qualification Training, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
2014 Chief Master Sergeant Leadership Course, by correspondence, Air University
2015 Command Chief Master Sergeant Training Course, Randolph AFB, Texas
2016 Senior Enlisted Joint Professional Military Education II, by correspondence
2016 Air Force Judge Advocate General Senior Enlisted Legal Orientation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Air Force Smart Operations Executive Leadership Course, Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee
2016 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Fagler Business School, University of North Carolina
2018 Keystone Course, National Defense University, Washington DC
2018 Leading Millennials, Owen Graduate School, Vanderbilt University
2019 Leading Strategically, The Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May1992-June1992,Student,BasicMilitaryTraining,LacklandAir Force Base,Texas
2. June 1992-August 1992, Student, Aerospace Control and Warning Systems, Keesler AFB, Miss.
3. August1992-August1993,Aerospace Control Warning SystemsTechnician,554thRangeSquadron,NellisAFB,Nev.
4. August1993-May1997,NCOIC,OperationsFlight,24thAirSupportOperationsSquadron,HowardAFB,
Panama
5. May1997-July2000,Systems/FlightChief,2ndSpaceWarningSquadron,BuckleyAFB,Colo.
6. July2000-August2002,EffectivenessTestManager,17thTestBuckleyAFB,Colo.
7. August2002-October2005,FlightChief,Operations,3rdSpaceOperationsSquadron,SchrieverAFB,Colo.
8. October2005-November2006,FlightChief,Training&Eval,50thOpsSupportSquadron,SchrieverAFB,Colo.
9. November 2006-June2007,Manager,DefensiveSpaceControlSystems,HQAFSPC,PetersonAFB,Colo.
10. June2007-November2007,Manager,SpaceSuperiorityOperations,HQAFSPC,PetersonAFB,Colo.
11. November 2007-April 2008, J3 Superintendent, Cheyenne Mountain Directorate, Cheyenne Mountain AFS, Colo.
12. April2008-April2011,Superintendent,JFCCSpaceMissileWarningCenter,CheyenneMountainAFS,Colo.
13. April2011-May2012,OperationsSuperintendent,50OperationsSupportSquadron,SchrieverAFB,Colo.
14. June2012-August2014,Chief,SpaceProfDev&1C6FunctionalManager,HQAFSPC,PetersonAFB,Colo.
15. August2014-June2016,1C6X1FieldManager,Pentagon,WashingtonD.C.
16. June2016-May2018,CommandChief,461stAirControlWing,RobinsAFB,Ga.
17. June 2018-July 2020, Command Chief, 21st Space Wing, Peterson AFB,Colo.
18.July 2020-Present, Senior Enlisted leader, Joint Task Force–Space Defense and Senior Enlisted Leader, Operations Directorate, United States Space Command, Schriever SFB, Colo.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
1995 24th Air Support Operations Squadron Airman of the Year
1996 Commandant Award, Airman Leadership School
2001 Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Noncommissioned Officer Augmentee of the Year
2002 Commandant Award and Distinguished Graduate, Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2004 3rd Space Operations Squadron Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2004 50th Operations Group Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2005 50th Operations Support Squadron Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2005 50th Operations Group General Morrell Trophy
2005 Air Force Association, Brent C. Scowcroft Award
2006 Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Enlisted Space Operator of the Year
2007 Commandant Award and Distinguished Graduate, Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy
2008 Joint Functional Component Command for Space Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2008 United States Strategic Command Twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year
2009 Missile Warning Center Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2009 United States Strategic Command Senior Noncommissioned Officer Enlisted Space Operator of the Year
2010 Joint Functional Component Command for Space Twelve Outstanding Airmen of the Year
2010 Joint Functional Component Command for Space Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year
2011 Distinguished Graduate, Global Positioning System Initial Qualification Training
EFFECTIVE DATE OF PROMOTION
Chief Master Sergeant April 1, 2012
(Current as of November 2020)