Major General D. Jason Cothern Maj. Gen. D. Jason Cothern serves as the Program Executive for Ground-based Weapon Systems for the Missile Defense Agency. Programs in Maj Gen Cothern's portfolio include Ground-based Midcourse Defense, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense System, four Joint U.S. and Israeli Programs, and several classified programs collectively valued at over $3.4 billion annually. Maj. Gen. Cothern was commissioned in 1993 as an ROTC graduate of the University of Central Florida. His career has spanned a range of assignments primarily acquiring or planning for a variety of space systems, running the gamut from communications, signals intelligence, missile warning, force application, and launch. He has also served in various other domains to include U.S. Strategic Command's Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction and as Assistant Program Director for Development and Production of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, delivering fifth-generation fighters to the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and many international partners. Prior to his current assignment, the general served as the Deputy Commander, Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, responsible for managing the research, design, development, acquisition and sustainment of space and missile systems, command and control, launch, and operational satellite systems. Space Systems Command manages a $13 billion annual budget for the DoD and employs 14,600 professionals to develop, acquire, launch, field and sustain space capabilities that protect joint warfighters and national interests in space. EDUCATION 1993 Bachelor of Science, Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando 1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 2000 Master of Business Administration, California State University, Long Beach 2002 Master of Science, Organizational Leadership, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 2006 Master of Military Operational Arts and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2009 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 2009 The Program Manager’s Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va. 2012 Master of National Resource Strategy, The Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. ASSIGNMENTS 1. September 1993–August 1995, Program Manager, 50th Logistics Support Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo. 2. August 1995–July 1996, Executive Officer, 50th Logistics Group, Schriever AFB, Colo. 3. July 1996–March 1998, Program Manager, Milstar Operations Support Division, Military Satellite Communications Joint Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 4. March 1998–July 2000, Chief, Military Satellite Communications Programs Planning Branch, Military Satellite Communications Joint Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 5. July 2000–June 2002, Student, United States Air Force Intern Program, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 6. June 2002–July 2005, Chief, Satellite Command and Control Branch, then Program Manager, Missile Warning Systems, Space Systems Program Office, Signals Intelligence Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va. 7. July 2005–June 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 8. June 2006–June 2008, Deputy Chief, Future Systems Division, Developmental Planning Directorate, Space and Missiles System Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 9. June 2008–July 2009, Chief, Space Systems Acquisition Division, Transformational Satellite Communications System Space Group, MILSATCOM Systems Wing, Space and Missiles System Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 10. July 2009–August 2011, Commander, Space Based Infrared Systems Ground Squadron, then Materiel Leader, SBIRS Ground Systems Branch, SBIRS Ground Division, Infrared Space Systems Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 11. August 2011–June 2012, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 12. June 2012–July 2014, Chief, Requirements Integration Department, Defense Threat Reduction Agency and U.S. Strategic Command, Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction, Fort Belvoir, Va. 13. July 2014–June 2017, Senior Material Leader - Lower, Director, DoD Space Test Program and Chief, Space Demonstrations Division, Advanced Systems and Development Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M. 14. June 2017–June 2020, Senior Material Leader - Upper, Assistant Program Director for Development and Production, then Assistant Program Director for Development, F-35 Joint Program Office, Arlington, Va. 15. June 2020–August 2021, Vice Commander and Program Executive Officer for Space Enterprise Corps, Space and Missile Systems Command, U.S. Space Force, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 16. August 2021–March 2022, Deputy Commander and Program Executive Officer for Assured Access to Space, Space Systems Command, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 17. March 2022–January 2024, Deputy Commander, Space Systems Command, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 18. January 2024–present, Program Executive for Ground-based Weapon Systems for the Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. SUMMARY OF JOIINT ASSIGNMENTS 1. June 2012–July 2014, Chief, Requirements Integration Department, Defense Threat Reduction Agency and U.S. Strategic Command’s Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a lieutenant colonel and colonel 2. January 2024–present, Program Executive for Ground-based Weapon Systems for the Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., as a major general MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Legion of Merit Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster Joint Service Commendation Medal Air and Space Achievement Medal Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster Air and Space Organizational Excellence Award with three oak leaf clusters EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION Second Lieutenant July 22, 1993 First Lieutenant July 22, 1995 Captain July 22, 1997 Major Dec. 1, 2003 Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2008 Colonel Oct. 1, 2013 Brigadier General July 3, 2019 Major General December 6, 2023 (Current as of March 2024)