Col Jody A. Merritt is the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. She is responsible for assisting the Commander, who also serves as the Air Force Program Executive Officer for Space, in managing a $6 billion budget covering space systems research, development, acquisition, sustainment and the associated launch, command and control infrastructure. He is also responsible for a workforce of more than 5,000 military and civilian professionals nationwide with a portfolio that includes military satellite communication, missile warning, navigation and timing, space-based weather, space launch and test ranges, certification for launch, space superiority, responsive space and other emerging evolutionary space programs. In addition, she serves as the Space Lead for the Secretary of the Air Force’s Office of Transformational Innovation. In this role she is leading several initiatives within the Space and Research and Development communities of the Department of Defense to reform acquisition methods through Other Transaction Authorities.
Col Merritt was commissioned in 1989 through the United States Air Force Academy graduating with Military Distinction. She is a Command Space Operator with operations in seven department of defense satellite missions. Col Merritt is a graduate of the Air Force Intern Program with assignment to the Joint Staff supporting the Chairman’s office, Secretary of State and President on the Middle East Peace Process.
In her civilian role, Col Merritt is a certified Program Management Professional (P.M.P.), technical and business development leader. Prior to her current role as Senior Solutions Architect for a large company, she was Vice President of Business Development for a privately held mid-size solutions company. Her commercial experience extends to NASA, DoD and the Intelligence Community and includes profit and loss management, strategic planning, process improvement, engineering and technical management. Col Merritt has demonstrated excellence in the development of multi-programmable RF electronics, software, cyber and aerospace systems.
EDUCATION
1989 Bachelor of Science Mathematics, minor in Spanish, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1990 Acquisition Management 100, Level 1 certified
1991 Master of Science, Management Information Systems, St Mary’s University, Texas
1992 Undergraduate Space Training, Lowry AFB, Colorado, Top graduate
1993 Defense Support Program (DSP) Qualification Training, Distinguished Graduate
1994 Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Crew Commander Training and Certification
1992 Squadron Officer School (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, Distinguished graduate
1997 Air Force Intern Program, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Va.
1997 Master of Administration, Organizational Management, George Washington University, Va.
1999 Air Command and Staff College (correspondence)
2003 Project Management Professional Training and Certification, Project Management Institute
2009 Joint Space Operations Center Chief of Combat Plans Training and Certification
2009 Information Technology Information Library V3 Training and Certification
2010 Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Space System Operator Training and Certification
2010 Air War College (correspondence)
2014 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, Joint Forces Staff College
2015 Senior Requirements Leader, Level C Certification, Defense Acquisition University
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1989 - December 1993, Personnel Operations Research Analyst, Executive Officer at Armstrong Laboratory, Brooks AFB, Texas
2. December 1993 - July 1995, Flight Commander, Evaluator, and Executive Officer at 1st Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
3. July 1995 – May 1997, AF Intern Program (AFIP) at Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, DC
4. May 1997 – March 2000, Senior Flight Commander, Director of Engineering at Office of Space Operations, Assistant Space AF Element, Pentagon, with duty at National Reconnaissance Office, Onizuka AFS, Calif.
5. March 2000 - September 2002, Collection Requirements Manager, with Duty at National Air Intelligence Center, Wright Patterson, Ohio
6. September 2002 - October 2004, Joint Tactics Cell Reserve Liaison at Office of Space Operations, Assistant Space AF Element, Pentagon, with duty at National Reconnaissance Office, Onizuka AFS, Calif.
7. October 2004 - October 2005, Wing IMA, at Office of Space Operations, Assistant Space AF Element, Pentagon, with duty at National Reconnaissance Office, Onizuka AFS, Calif.
8. October 2006 – February 2010, Deputy Flight Commander Operations, Deputy Chief Combat Operations Division, Chief Combat Plans Division at Joint Space Operations Center, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
9. February 2010 – June 2012, Director of Operations, 6th Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
10. June 2012 – June 2014, Commander, 6th Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo.
11. June 2014 - January 2016, IMA to the Director of Strategic Plans, Requirements, and Analysis, AFSPC/A5/8/9, Peterson AFB, Colo.
12. October 2015 - July 2017, IMA to the Director of Integrated Air, Space, Cyberspace and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operations, AFSPC 2/3/6O; Assignments to Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx) and Office of the Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition), Silicon Valley, Calif.
13. July 2017 – Present Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
July 1995 – May 1997, AF Intern Program (AFIP) at Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a captain
Oct 2015 - May 2016, Assignment to Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), Silicon Valley, Calif., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with one oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant, May 31, 1989
First Lieutenant, May 31, 1991
Captain, May 31, 1993
Major, Oct 1, 2001
Lieutenant Colonel, Sep 1, 2008
Colonel, Jun 20, 2014
(Current as of November 2017)