Col Schmitt is currently serving as the Commander, Space Delta 4, Buckley Space Force Base, CO. In this capacity, he is responsible for delivering strategic and theater missile warning to the United States and international partners, while also contributing to missile defense, space domain awareness and technical intelligence missions in support of Combatant Commanders worldwide. Space Delta 4 operates and supports three satellite constellations and two ground-based sensors at 10 locations worldwide.
Col Schmitt began his career as a space operations officer after receiving his commission from the US Air Force Academy in May 2001. He holds Masters Degrees in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, Military Operational Art and Science from Air University, and Strategic Studies from the Army War College. He has held a variety of space operations and staff positions in the Space Electronic Warfare, Missile Warning, and Battlespace Awareness missions. He also served as an Air and Missile Defense Operations staff officer on the Joint Staff and was the Commander of the 16th Space Control Squadron. He transferred to the United States Space Force on 9 October 2020. He has been married to his wife Teresa since 2006 and has two children.
EDUCATION:
2001 Bachelor of Science in Biology, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO
2006 Master of Science in Space Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2009 Space 200, National Security Space Institute, Colorado Springs, CO
2013 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Space 300, National Security Space Institute, Peterson AFB, CO
2017 Air War College (by correspondence)
2020 Master of Strategic Studies, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. August 2001 – June 2002: Student, Officer Space Prerequisite Training and Phased Array Early Warning System Initial Qualification Training, 392nd and 533rd Training Squadrons, Vandenberg AFB, CA
2. June 2002 – October 2003: Phased Array Early Warning System Crew Commander and Chief of Scheduling, 13th Space Warning Squadron, Clear AFS, AK
3. October 2003 – January 2007: Deployable Space Support Segment (DSSS) Phase III Crew Commander and Counter-Communications System Flight Commander, 4th Space Control Squadron, Holloman AFB, NM
4. January 2007 – June 2009: Flight Commander, Counterspace Operations, 21st Operations Support Squadron, Peterson AFB, CO (July 2008 – January 2009: Space Operations Officer, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
5. June 2009 – June 2010: Executive Officer, 21st Operations Group, Peterson AFB, CO
6. June 2010 – September 2011: Chief, Offensive Counterspace Operations Branch, Directorate of Air, Space, and Cyberspace Operations (A3), Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO
7. September 2011 – August 2012: Executive Officer to the Director of Staff and Deputy Director of Staff, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO
8. August 2012 – June 2013: Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
9. June 2013 – June 2015: Operations Officer, 6th Space Warning Squadron, Cape Cod AFS, MA
10. June 2015 – June 2017: Staff Officer, Integrated Air and Missile Defense Branch, Homeland Defense Division, Deputy Directorate for Nuclear, Homeland Defense, and Current Operations (J33), Directorate for Operations (J3), the Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
11. June 2017 – June 2019: Commander, 16th Space Control Squadron, Peterson AFB, CO
12. July 2019 – June 2020: Student, Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA
13. June 2020 – November 2021: Chief, Space Integrated Planning Element (S-IPE) at US Southern Command, US Space Command Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy (J5), US Army Garrison-Miami, Doral, FL
14. November 2021 – June 2023: Director, Joint Integrated Space Team at US Southern Command (JISTSOUTH) and US Space Command liaison to US Southern Command, US Space Command Special Staff (J0), US Army Garrison-Miami, Doral, FL
15. July 2023 – Present: Commander, Space Delta 4, Buckley Space Force Base, CO
BADGES and SPACE SYSTEMS:
Master Space Badge
Basic Parachutist Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff Service Badge
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Army War College Military Order of the World Wars Writing Award for “A Strategic Concept of Space Control”
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant: May 30, 2001
First Lieutenant: May 30, 2003
Captain: May 30, 2005
Major: April 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel: Jun 1, 2016
Colonel: May 1, 2022
(As of July 2023)