Jump to content

Jacob Middleton Jr.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jacob Middleton Jr.
Official portrait, 2023
Nickname(s)dB
Bornc. 1970 (age 53–54)
AllegianceUnited States
Branch
Years of service
1992–2021 (Air Force)
  • 2021–present (Space Force)
RankBrigadier General
Commands
Awards
Alma mater

Jacob Middleton Jr. (born c. 1970) is a United States Space Force brigadier general who serves as the commander of United States Space Forces – Europe and Africa. He previously served as deputy director for operations of the Joint Staff. He has also commanded the Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado from 2018 to 2021.

Education

[edit]

Middleton received a B.A. in psychology degree in 1991 from Augusta State University. In 1997, he received an M.A. degree in public administration from Troy University. He also received an M.A. degree in organizational management in 2007 from the George Washington University. His professional military education included Squadron Officer School where he was the top third graduate, Air Command and Staff College, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air War College, and National War College.[1]

Military career

[edit]
Middleton assumes command of the Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado in 2018

Middleton enlisted into the United States Air Force in August 1992. He was assigned as a plumber at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, where he was awarded as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for the Mission Support Group.[2][1]

On November 13, 1998, Middleton was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Officer Training School. After commissioning, he underwent nine months of undergraduate space and missile training at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. From 1999 to 2002, he was assigned at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, where he moved back and forth from operational and instructor positions. He first served a year as deputy missile combat crew commander for the 742nd Missile Squadron, after which he served as the instructor deputy missile combat crew commander for the 91st Operations Support Squadron. A year later, he returned to the 742nd Missile Squadron missile combat crew commander. He then served a year as an ICBM senior instructor combat crew commander for the 91st Operations Support Squadron. Finally, he served as the executive officer for the 91st Space Wing for four months.[1]

In 2003, Middleton transferred to Alabama to serve as assistant professor of aerospace studies at AFROTC Detachment 015 at Tuskegee University. In 2005, he was selected to serve as an Air Force intern at Washington, D.C., assigned at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs and the National Space Security Office. From 2007 to 2010, he was assigned at various roles at the National Reconnaissance Office. He first served a year as chief of current operations at the National Reconnaissance Operations Center (NROC), then as executive officer for the deputy director for mission support, and finally as chief flight safety and vulnerability at NROC.[1]

Middleton studied at the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama for a year from 2010 to 2011. After that, he was assigned to Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado as operations officer for the 50th Operations Support Squadron. From June 2012 to May 2014, he then served as the commander of the Space Operations Squadron at the Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado (ADF-C) Space Operations Wing, located at Buckley Air Force Base. After his first command tour, he went back to Washington, D.C., serving as chief speechwriter for Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force General Larry O. Spencer for a year. He then served at the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force as deputy chief of the Senate liaison division. For a year after that, he studied at the National War College (NWC).[1]

From 2017 to 2019, Middleton was assigned as vice commander of the 50th Space Wing, during which time he deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, as director of space forces at the United States Air Forces Central Combined Air and Space Operations Center. In 2019, he took command of ADF-C and Space Delta 20.[3] After serving as commander for two years, he was assigned to the Pentagon as a senior congressional advisor at the Office of the Chief of Space Operations.[1] At the same time, in 2021, he transferred to the United States Space Force.[4]

In April 2022, Middleton started serving as director of national security space policy at the National Space Council.[5] In May 2022, he was nominated and confirmed for promotion to brigadier general.[6] On April 4, 2023, Vice President Kamala Harris promoted him to brigadier general.[7][8] In July 2023, Middleton was reassigned as deputy director of operations of the Joint Staff.[1]

On August 13, 2024, Middleton took command of United States Space Forces – Europe and Africa.[9]

Awards and decorations

[edit]
Middleton was awarded the 2024 Black Engineer of the Year for the Space Force

Middleton is the recipient of the following awards:[1]

Command Space Operations Badge
Civil Engineer Badge
Basic Missile Operations Badge
Air Staff Badge
Defense Superior Service Medal
Width-44 crimson ribbon with a pair of width-2 white stripes on the edges Legion of Merit
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Width-44 crimson ribbon with two width-8 white stripes at distance 4 from the edges.
Meritorious Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with four bronze oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal
Air Force Good Conduct Medal
Bronze star
Width=44 scarlet ribbon with a central width-4 golden yellow stripe, flanked by pairs of width-1 scarlet, white, Old Glory blue, and white stripes
National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
Bronze star
Southwest Asia Service Medal with one bronze service star
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Remote Combat Effects Campaign Medal with four bronze service stars
Air and Space Campaign Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal with "N" device
Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon
Silver oak leaf cluster
Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver oak leaf cluster
Developmental Special Duty Ribbon
Air Force NCO PME Graduate Ribbon
Bronze star
Air Force Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon with one bronze service star
Bronze oak leaf cluster
Air Force Training Ribbon with one bronze oak leaf cluster
  • 2003 General Thomas S. Power Award – Best Missile Combat Crew in USAF
  • 2021 National Reconnaissance Office Gold medal
  • 2024 Black Engineer of the Year Awards, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics[10]

Writings

[edit]

Dates of promotion

[edit]
Middleton recites his oath of office to Vice President Kamala Harris during his promotion to brigadier general, April 4, 2023
Rank Branch Date[1]
Second Lieutenant Air Force November 13, 1998
First Lieutenant November 13, 2000
Captain November 13, 2002
Major July 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2011
Colonel May 1, 2017
Colonel Space Force ~September 30, 2020
Brigadier General December 23, 2022

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Brigadier General Jacob Middleton Jr". United States Space Force. October 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  2. ^ "Col. Middleton shares personal story, resilience message". www.schriever.spaceforce.mil.
  3. ^ "ADF-Colorado hails Middleton, farewells Brig.Gen. Povak". National Reconnaissance Office.
  4. ^ "PN602 - 765 nominees for Space Force, 117th Congress (2021-2022) | Congress.gov | Library of Congress".
  5. ^ "General Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense.
  6. ^ "PN2050 - 5 nominees for Space Force, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. May 3, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "Photo: Kamala Harris on a promotion ceremony for Jacob Middleton in Washington - WAX20230404212 - UPI.com". UPI.
  8. ^ "Vice President of the United States leads promotion ceremony for National Space Councill Space Council's Director of National Security Space Policy". United States Space Force. April 6, 2023.
  9. ^ Svan, Jennifer H. (August 13, 2024). "'A new orbit':Brigadier general takes over Space Force in Europe and Africa". Stars and Stripes.
  10. ^ "DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards". United States Space Force. February 20, 2024.
Military offices
Preceded by Vice Commander of the 50th Space Wing
2017–2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado
2019–2021
Succeeded by
New office Director of National Security Space Policy at the National Space Council
2022–2023
Succeeded by
New office Deputy Director for Operations of the Joint Staff
2023–2024
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander of the United States Space Forces – Europe and Africa
2024–present
Incumbent