Major General James E. Smith Maj. Gen. James E. Smith is the Commander, Space Training and Readiness Command, headquartered at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. As Commander, he is responsible for preparing the U.S. Space Force and more than 8,600 Guardians to prevail in competition and conflict through innovative education, training, doctrine and test activities. Originally from Boise, Idaho, Maj. Gen. Smith commissioned in 1997 as the top graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. His career spans numerous space operations and acquisition positions including command at the squadron, group, wing, garrison, and Field Command levels. His staff assignments include Headquarters, North Atlantic Treaty Organization; Headquarters, Air Force Space Command; the Air Staff; the Space Staff; and the Joint Staff. Maj. Gen. Smith has deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and to the U.S. Embassy in Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. Smith served as the Vice Director, Joint Force Development, J-7, the Joint Staff, Washington, D.C. EDUCATION 1997 Bachelor of Science, Astronautical Engineering and Japanese language minor, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 1999 Master of Science, Aeronautics and Astronautics, Mass. Institute of Technology, Cambridge 2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. 2003 Air Force Intern Program, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 2003 Certificate Program, Organizational Management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala. by correspondence 2010 Master of Airpower Art and Science, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 2017 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Washington, D.C. 2018 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 2022 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 2024 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Va. ASSIGNMENTS 1. May 1997–May 1999, Graduate Student and Charles Stark Draper Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. 2. May 1999–June 2002, Global Positioning System (GPS) Spacecraft Systems Engineer and Chief, GPS Spacecraft Systems Analysis, 2nd Space Operations Squadron, Schriever Air Force Base, Colo. 3. June 2002–June 2003, Intern, Air Force Intern Program, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 4. July 2003–May 2006, Chief, Space Control Demonstration Operations Flight and Wing Executive Officer, Space Superiority Materiel Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. 5. June 2006–June 2009, Chief, Space Operations Division and Assistant Operations Officer, Space Operations Squadron, Aerospace Data Facility - Colorado, Buckley AFB, Colo. 6. July 2009–June 2010, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 7. July 2010–July 2012, Chief, Mission Area Architecting Branch, Directorate of Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo. (December 2011–June 2012, Program Manager and Acting Commander, Defense Contract Management Agency-Northern Afghanistan, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan) 8. August 2012–May 2014, Commander, 1st Range Operations Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. 9. May 2014–May 2015, Assistant Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 10. May 2015–June 2016, Chief, Air Force and Air Defense Security Assistance Team, Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq, U.S. Embassy, Baghdad, Iraq 11. July 2016–June 2017, Student, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C. 12. June 2017–June 2019, Commander, Air Force Element, and Chief, Mission Operations & Engineering, RAF Menwith Hill, United Kingdom 13. June 2019–July 2020, Commander, 50th Space Wing, Schriever AFB, Colo. 14. July 2020–June 2021, Commander, Peterson-Schriever Garrison, Peterson AFB, Colo. 15. July 2021–July 2023, Deputy U.S. Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium 16. July 2023–June 2024, Assistant Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Operations, Cyber, and Nuclear, Headquarters U.S. Space Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 17. June 2024–July 2025, Vice Director for Joint Force Development, J-7, the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va. 18. July 2025–present, Commander, Space Training and Readiness Command, U.S. Space Force, Patrick Space Force Base, Fla. SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS 1. July 2021–July 2023, Deputy U.S. Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee, NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium, as a colonel and a brigadier general 2. June 2024–July 2025, Vice Director for Joint Force Development, J-7, the Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a major general MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Legion of Merit Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air and Space Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters Air and Space Achievement Medal OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS 1997 The Outstanding Cadet in the Order of Graduation, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 2017 Distinguished Graduate, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security, Washington, D.C. 2019 National Reconnaissance Office Medal of Distinguished Performance (Gold) 2021 Space Operations Command General and Mrs. Jerome F. O’Malley Award (Current as of July 2025)