Maj. Gen. Daniel L. Simpson serves as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He is responsible to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the Air Force for policy formulation, planning, evaluation, oversight and leadership of Air Force ISR capabilities; force development of more than 25,000 ISR Total Force Airmen; and integration of Air Force ISR planning with the national intelligence community. He also serves as the National Intelligence Manager for Aviation and as the Executive Director, National Aviation Intelligence Integration Office under the auspices of the Director of National Intelligence.
Maj. Gen. Simpson enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1986, starting his military career as a combat communications specialist. In 1988, he was selected to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, graduating in 1992. He is a career intelligence officer and has served as a Weapons Officer at both the tactical and operational levels, as well as instructed at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School. At the strategic level, Maj Gen Simpson was entrusted with the nuclear “football” as the Military Aide to the Vice President of the United States. He has commanded at the squadron, group and joint wing-equivalent levels and has operational Joint Task Force as well as staff tours at the Major Command and Combatant Command levels. He has multiple combat deployments for operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Odyssey Dawn, Freedom Sentinel and Resolute Support. Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Simpson was the Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Operation Resolute Support and Director of Intelligence (CJ2) US Forces-Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan.
EDUCATION
1992 Bachelor of Science, General Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
1996 United States Air Force Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
1997 Squadron Officers School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2001 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Las Vegas
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2005 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Master of Science, National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2014 National and International Security Leadership Seminar, Washington, D.C.
2015 Center for Creative Leadership Program, Greensboro, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1986–February 1986, Trainee, 3704th Basic Military Training Squadron, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas
2. February 1986–July 1986, Student, Technical Control Communications training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
3. July 1986–July 1987, Combat Technical Control Specialist, 3rd Combat Communications Group, Tinker AFB, Okla.
4. July 1987–June 1988, Cadet Candidate, U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School, Colo.
5. July 1988–May 1992, Cadet, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
6. July 1992–March 1993, Student, Intelligence Applications training, Goodfellow AFB, Texas
7. March 1993–December 1995, Chief, F-15E Squadron Intelligence, 391st Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
8. January 1996–June 1996, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
9. June 1996–December 1998, Chief, Intelligence Training and later, Chief, Intelligence Operations, 20th Fighter Wing, Shaw AFB, S.C.
10. December 1998–January 2002, Scheduling Flight Commander and later, Assistant Director of Operations, Intelligence Division, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
11. January 2002–July 2004, Chief, Intelligence Force Development Branch and later, Chief, Intelligence Plans and Programs Branch, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. July 2004–June 2005, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. June 2005–October 2006, Director of Operations, 26th Air Intelligence Squadron, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
14. October 2006–March 2007, Deputy Chief, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Division, 613th Air and Space Operations Center, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
15. March 2007–December 2007, Executive Officer to Commander, Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
16. December 2007–February 2008, Chief, Threat Analysis Division, PACAF, Hickam AFB, Hawaii
17. March 2008–June 2010, Military Aide to the Vice President of the United States, Office of the Vice President, Washington, D.C.
18. June 2010–October 2010, Commander, 480th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group (Provisional), Fort Gordon, Ga.
19. June 2010–June 2011, Commander, 31st Intelligence Squadron, Fort Gordon, Ga.
20. July 2011–June 2012, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
21. June 2012–June 2014, Commander, 659th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
22. June 2014–April 2016, Commander, National Security Agency Texas, San Antonio
23. April 2016–April 2017, Deputy Director of Intelligence, U.S. Forces Afghanistan, and Deputy, Deputy Chief of Staff of Intelligence to NATO Resolute Support Headquarters, Kabul, Afghanistan
24. June 2017–July 2019, Director of Intelligence and Information, North American Aerospace and Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
25. July 2019–July 2020, Director of Intelligence, U.S. Forces Afghanistan, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence to NATO Resolute Support Headquarters, Kabul, Afghanistan
26. August 2020—present, Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. March 2008–June 2010, Military Aide to the Vice President of the United States, Office of the Vice President, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
2. June 2014–April 2016, Commander, National Security Agency Texas, San Antonio, as a colonel
3. April 2016–April 2017, Deputy Director of Intelligence, U.S. Forces Afghanistan, and Deputy, Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, NATO Resolute Support Headquarters, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a brigadier general
4. June 2017–July 2019, Director of Intelligence and Information, North American Aerospace and Defense Command and United States Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., as a brigadier general
5. July 2019–July 2020, Director of Intelligence, U.S. Forces Afghanistan, and Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, NATO Resolute Support Headquarters, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a major general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Canadian Meritorious Service Medal (Military Division)
U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps Knowlton Award
U.S. Coast Guard Meritorious Team Commendation
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27, 1992
First Lieutenant May 27, 1994
Captain May 27, 1996
Major Dec. 1, 2002
Lieutenant Colonel Aug. 1, 2007
Colonel September 1, 2011
Brigadier General May 11, 2017
Major General May 22, 2020
(Current as of April 2021)