COLONEL ERNEST R. “BOBBY” SCHMITT Colonel Ernest R. “Bobby” Schmitt is the Director of Operations, U.S. Space Forces-Space, Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. In this capacity, he leads operational activities on behalf of the Service Component Commander to ensure the effective employment of U.S. Space Force combat capabilities in support of U.S. Space Command’s campaign and contingency plans. He also supports the Combined/Joint Force Space Component Commander in the integration of joint space operations in the U.S. Space Command area of responsibility and ensures delivery of global combat capabilities to support regional Combatant Commands.
Col Schmitt began his career as a space operations officer after receiving his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in May 2001. He holds a master’s degree in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota and is a graduate of Air Command and Staff College and the U.S. 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. Prior to his current position, Col Schmitt was the Commander, Mission Delta 4, where he led 11 squadrons and 2 direct report detachments responsible for delivering global strategic and theater missile warning and tracking to the U.S. and international partners through the employment of 3 satellite constellations and 5 ground- based sensors at 12 locations worldwide. Col Schmitt has been married to his wife Teresa since 2006 and has two children.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science, Biology, United States Air Force Academy, CO.
2006 Master of Science in Space Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, 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, Maxwell AFB, AL., 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, Ballistic Missile 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, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA.
13. June 2020 – November 2021, Chief, Space Integrated Planning Element (S-IPE) at U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Space
Command Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy (J5), USAG-Miami, Doral, FL.
14. November 2021 – June 2023, Director, Joint Integrated Space Team at U.S. Southern Command (JIST-SOUTH) and U.S. Space
Command liaison to U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Space Command Special Staff (J0), USAG-Miami, Doral, FL.
15. July 2023 – October 2024, Commander, Space Delta 4, Buckley SFB, CO.
16. October 2024 – July 2025, Commander, Mission Delta 4, Buckley SFB, CO.
17. July 2025 – Present, Director of Operations, U.S. Space Forces-Space (S3)/Combined Joint Force Space Component (J3),
Vandenberg SFB, CA.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. 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, as a Major and Lieutenant Colonel.
2. June 2020 – November 2021, Chief, Space Integrated Planning Element (S-IPE) at U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Space
Command Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy (J5), USAG-Miami, Doral, FL, as a Lieutenant Colonel.
3. November 2021 – June 2023, Director, Joint Integrated Space Team at U.S. Southern Command (JIST-SOUTH) and U.S. Space
Command liaison to U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Space Command Special Staff (J0), USAG-Miami, Doral, FL, as a Lieutenant
Colonel and Colonel.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2020 Army War College Military Order of the World Wars Writing Award for “A Strategic Concept of Space Control”
OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
Master Space Badge
Basic Parachutist Badge
Joint Chiefs of Staff BadgeEFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 30, 2001
First Lieutenant May 30, 2003
Captain May 30, 2005
Major April 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2016
Colonel May 1, 2022
(Current as of August 2025)
