Major Simone Keith is the Operations Flight Commander, and Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 365, based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Major Keith was commissioned into the Air Force in June 2015 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps upon graduation from California State University, Fresno with a degree in Chemistry. Maj Keith graduated from Officer Undergraduate Space Training (OUST) at Vandenberg AFB, and was trained as a satellite vehicle operator in the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Schriever SFB. She commanded 32 satellites maintaining the health and accuracy of the bus and payload for the entire GPS constellation. In September 2020, Maj Keith transferred to the United States Space Force and in that same year earned a M.S. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota. She was the Special Technical Operations Branch Chief for the Combined Space Operations Center, Vandenberg SFB, CA where she was responsible for advising and coordinating the integration of special access programs into exercises, training, and conventional warfare.
EDUCATION
2015 Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Fresno State, CA
2016 Officer Undergraduate Space Training, Vandenberg AFB, CA
2020 Master of Science in Space Studies, University of North Dakota, ND
2022 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2016 – March 2017, student, 50th Operations Support Squadron, Schriever SFB, CO
2. March 2017 – June 2018, satellite vehicle operator, 2nd Space Operations Squadron, Schriever SFB, CO
3. June 2018 – March 2019, instructor, 50th Operations Support Squadron, Schriever SFB, CO
4. Mach 2019- March 2020, evaluator, 50th Operations Group Standardization and Evaluation, Schriever SFB, CO
5. March 2020 – July 2023, special technical operations branch chief, Combined Space Operations Center, Vandenberg SFB, CA
6. July 2023 – present, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Detachment 365, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mass.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jun 17, 2015
First Lieutenant Dec 2, 2017
Captain Dec 2, 2019
Major 1 June 2024
(Current as of August 2024)