Senior enlisted leaders emphasize partnership as cornerstone of space superiority

Published April 23, 2026
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AFNS) -- In a panel discussion at the 41st Space Symposium on April 15, senior enlisted leaders from the United States and Canada asserted that robust partnerships with industry, allies, and technology partners are fundamental to maintaining a competitive advantage in the space domain.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna speaks during a fireside chat panel at the 41st Annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colo., April 15, 2026. The Space Symposium, held by the Space Foundation, is an opportunity for Department of the Air Force and Space Force senior leaders to meet and address Guardians, allies, partners and industry leaders. (U.S. Air Force photo by Chad Trujillo)

The discussion, titled "Perspectives on Partnership," featured Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John Bentivegna, U.S. Space Command Senior Enlisted Leader Chief Master Sgt. Jacob Simmons, and 3 Canadian Space Division Chief Warrant Officer Jamie Marshall. The leaders articulated a unified vision where integrated efforts in talent management, allied integration, and technological adoption are essential for future success.

Bentivegna addressed the strategic value of industry collaboration, noting that the restructuring of Space Systems Command into mission-focused System Deltas has significantly enhanced these relationships. He also stressed that organizational structure is secondary to the personnel within it.

“It’s not just the organizational chart where we align system deltas into mission functions, it's the men and women that we put there that are making the difference,” Bentivegna said. “We have many operators that are currently working with the acquisitions community to make sure that what we’re building is relevant, and that the communication and feedback to industry is rapid.”

He cited the Education with Industry program as a successful model for talent development, referencing a recent graduate, Maj. Andre Ball, who transitioned from an EWI role at Lockheed Martin to help author the Space Force’s new Future Operating Environment 2040 strategy.

The imperative for collaboration extends deeply into international alliances. “I’ve been in space operations for 26 years... I can't think of a single time when I was on crew, and I didn’t have a mission partner with me,” Bentivegna stated, calling allied integration a "necessity" in the space domain.

Echoing this, Chief Warrant Officer Marshall announced a significant development for the Royal Canadian Air Force: the creation of a dedicated career path for space mission operators, set to roll out this summer. This initiative will allow Canadian service members to pursue a full career as space professionals, fostering deeper expertise. To new personnel entering this multinational environment, his advice was to “listen, learn, learn from each other... and make your team stronger.”

Representing the joint force, Chief Master Sgt. Simmons spoke on the strategic importance of both public education and technological advancement. He emphasized the need to increase "space fluency" — a broader understanding of how space capabilities enable modern life — and to push beyond initial applications of artificial intelligence.

“We immediately got after document management [and] data mining, but that can't be where we stop with AI,” Simmons cautioned. He advocated for using AI to augment contested logistics and ground system architectures, creating a “’keep alive chain’ for our systems so that we can actually operate through a contested environment.”

The discussion concluded by reinforcing that these strategic partnerships are often built on long-standing personal relationships. Simmons revealed that he, Bentivegna, and Marshall all served together on the same crew at then Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado, in 1998, a testament to the enduring nature of the bonds that underpin international and inter-service cooperation.

The 41st Space Symposium is a significant event for the space industry, held in Colorado Springs. It gathers over 1,500 organizations, including senior government and military officials, making it the largest assembly of space leadership this year. Attendees can participate in various activities, from discussions to live demonstrations