D. Jason Cothern

D. Jason Cothern
Official portrait, 2024
Born	(1970-11-12) November 12, 1970 (age 54)
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Air Force United States Space Force
Years of service	1993–2021 (Air Force) 2021–present (Space Force)
Rank	Major General
Commands	Space Systems Command (acting) Space Based Infrared Systems Ground Squadron
Awards	Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit
Alma mater	University of Central Florida (BS) California State University, Long Beach (MBA) George Washington University (MS)

Donald Jason Cothern (born November 12, 1970)[1] is a United States Space Force major general who serves as the program executive for ground-based weapon systems at the Missile Defense Agency. He previously served as the deputy commander of the Space Systems Command. He transferred to the Space Force from the United States Air Force in May 2021.[2][3]

Prior to his current assignment, he was the assistant program director for development at the F-35 Lighting II Joint Program Office, where he was responsible for F-35 fighter fifth generation modernization activities.[4][5][6]

Cothern was commissioned in 1993 as an ROTC graduate of the University of Central Florida. He served as the director of the Department of Defense’s Space Test Program and the Air Force's Hosted Payloads Office. As STP director, he also led the Rocket Systems Launch Program, where he was mission director for the DoD's first SpaceX Falcon 9 launch that flew NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite in February 2015.[4][5]

In July 2023, Cothern was nominated for promotion to major general.[7]

Education

• 1993 Bachelor of Science, aerospace engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando
• 1998 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
• 2000 Master of Business Administration, California State University, Long Beach
• 2002 Master of Science, Organizational Leadership, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
• 2006 Master of Military Operational Arts and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
• 2009 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
• 2009 The Program Manager's Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
• 2012 Master of National Resource Strategy, The Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.[5]

Assignments

Cothern welcomes Gen James H. Dickinson to Space Systems Command, 2021

1. September 1993–August 1995, Program Manager, 50th Logistics Support Squadron, Schreiver Air Force Base, Colo.
2. August 1995–July 1996, Executive Officer, 50th Logistics Group, Schreiver AFB, Colo.
3. July 1996–March 1998, Program Manager, Milstar Operations Support Division, Military Satellite Communications Joint Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
4. March 1998–July 2000, Chief, Military Satellite Communications Programs Planning Branch, Military Satellite Communications Joint Program Office, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
5. July 2000–June 2002, Student, United States Air Force Intern Program, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. June 2002–July 2005, Chief, Satellite Command and Control Branch, then Program Manager, Missile Warning Systems, Space Systems Program Office, Signals Intelligence Directorate, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
7. July 2005–June 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
8. June 2006–June 2008, Deputy Chief, Future Systems Division, Developmental Planning Directorate, Space and Missiles System Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
9. June 2008–July 2009, Chief, Space Systems Acquisition Division, Transformational Satellite Communications System Space Group, MILSATCOM Systems Wing, Space and Missiles System Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
10. July 2009–August 2011, Commander, Space Based Infrared Systems Ground Squadron, then Materiel Leader, SBIRS Ground Systems Branch, SBIRS Ground Division, Infrared Space Systems Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
11. August 2011–June 2012, Student, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. June 2012–July 2014, Chief, Requirements Integration Department, Defense Threat Reduction Agency and U.S. Strategic Command, Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction, Fort Belvoir, Va.
13. July 2014–June 2017, Senior Material Leader – Lower, Director, DoD Space Test Program and Chief, Space Demonstrations Division, Advanced Systems and Development Directorate, Space and Missile Systems Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
14. June 2017–June 2020, Senior Material Leader – Upper, Assistant Program Director for Development and Production, then Assistant Program Director for Development, F-35 Joint Program Office, Arlington, Va.
15. June 2020– August 2021, Vice Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, U.S. Space Force, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
16. August 2021 – January 2024, Deputy Commander, Space Systems Command, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
17. February 2024 – present, Program Executive for Ground-Based Weapon Systems, Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Ala.[5]

Awards and decorations

Cothern speaks after winning the Schriever Fellowship Award during the Air Force Association's Inaugural Space Force Ball, 2021

Cothern is the recipient of the following awards:[5]

	Command Space Operations Badge
	Air Force Master Acquisition and Financial Management Badge

	Defense Superior Service Medal
	Legion of Merit
	Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Meritorious Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf
	Joint Service Commendation Medal
	Air Force Achievement Medal
	Joint Meritorious Unit Award with one bronze oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters
	National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star
	Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
	Air Force Longevity Service Award with one silver oak leaf cluster
	Air Force Training Ribbon

Dates of promotion

Rank	Branch	Date[5]
Second Lieutenant	Air Force	July 22, 1993
First Lieutenant		July 22, 1995
Captain		July 22, 1997
Major		December 1, 2003
Lieutenant Colonel		June 1, 2008
Colonel		October 1, 2013
Brigadier General		July 3, 2019
Brigadier General	Space Force	~April 29, 2021
Major General		December 6, 2023

References

1. "Persons born on 12 November 1970, DEBORAH EILEEN SPAULDING to Dwight Andrew Ellis". Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
2. Kitterman, Luke (July 27, 2021). "SMC Commander retires after 36 years of service". DVIDS.
3. Strout, Nathan (July 27, 2021). "Commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center retires". C4ISRNET. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
4. Erwin, Sandra (February 13, 2020). "F-35 program official named No. 2 at Space and Missile Systems Center". SpaceNews. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
5. "Major General D. Jason Cothern". United States Space Force. October 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
6. Kenlan, Alyk Russell (July 13, 2020). "Space Force to Launch Classified NRO Payload from Wallops Flight Facility". Air Force Magazine. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
7. "PN829 — Space Force, 118th Congress (2023-2024)". U.S. Congress. July 11, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023.

Military offices
Preceded by Donna D. Shipton	Program Executive Officer for Space Enterprise of the United States Space Force and Director of the Enterprise Corps of the Space and Missile Systems Center 2020–2021	Succeeded by Timothy Sejba
Preceded by John F. Thompson	Commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center Acting 2021	Succeeded by Michael Guetlein as Commander of the Space Systems Command
New title	Program Executive Officer for Assured Access to Space of the United States Space Force 2021–2022	Succeeded by Stephen G. Purdy
Preceded by Donna D. Shipton	Deputy Commander of Space Systems Command 2020–2024	Succeeded by Michelle K. Idle
Preceded by Heath Collins	Program Executive for Ground-based Weapon Systems of the Missile Defense Agency 2024–present	Vacant