PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Promotion to one-star rank occurred March 13 for Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Farnsworth, the deputy commanding general for operations at U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command.
In a ceremony at the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, Farnsworth received his new stars from his wife, Gaby, parents Carol and Allen, and Lt. Gen. David L. Mann, commanding general of USASMDC/ARSTRAT.
Mann presided at the ceremony.
"The Army is a major user and provider of space capabilities, so Jeff's job is very important to the Department of Defense, the United States and our international partners and allies," Mann said. "He possesses the education, experience and commitment to national defense found only in our most talented senior leaders."
As the deputy commanding general for operations, Farnsworth assists the commanding general on all operational matters anywhere in the world. Based at the SMDC's operations headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., Farnsworth provides oversight of the Army's operational space and ballistic missile defense forces and other special operating units, which are assigned to U.S. Strategic Command. These forces comprise active, reserve and National Guard Soldiers in the 1st Space Brigade, 100th Missile Defense Brigade and other special operating units.
"Space is pervasive," Farnsworth said. "Every warfighting function and a majority of our equipment and weapons in all the military services are enabled by space capabilities. Whether defending the homeland from a rogue nation ICBM attack, or enabling our formations to shoot with precision, move with dominance, and communicate with surety, anywhere in the world, space systems are critical enablers."
The 1st Space Brigade contributes to Department of Defense space capabilities that enable the Army and its coalition partners to fully exploit space services for missile warning, reconnaissance/surveillance, navigation and weapons guidance, tracking of forces, global communications and other services.
The 100th Missile Defense Brigade, a unit of the Colorado National Guard, conducts operations under the control of U.S. Northern Command and provides the nation's only limited defense against ballistic missile attack from North Korea.
Other operating units in SMDC conduct satellite communications operational planning and technical support; radar operations to characterize spacecraft and objects in space for situational awareness; and global Friendly Force Tracking services for the Defense Department, U.S. government agencies and allies.
Farnsworth also provides administrative oversight of the Army's Astronaut Detachment and guides the Army Space Professional Development program.
He became the command's deputy commander for operations beginning in July 2013.
Farnsworth has been a leader in space-related positions for the Army and Department of Defense for more than 17 years. Among others, his assignments include exchange officer and Marine Corps Space Support Team chief with Naval Space Command; commander of SMDC's 1st Space Battalion and 1st Space Brigade; director of Space Policy Implementation in the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Global Strategic Affairs; and chief of Space Capabilities Integration for Headquarters Department of the Army.
"I owe my success to the great Soldiers and civilians who I have had the honor to team with over the last 28 years," he said. ?"Without their professionalism, perseverance and achievement I would not have this great honor. I will now seek to serve our Soldiers and civilians around the world to better our position as an Army and nation from this position of greater influence that I am both humbled and honored to hold."
SMDC is headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., and has space and missile forces based, forward-stationed or deployed in more than nine nations and in Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, California and Maryland. The command also conducts applied research and technology demonstrations and develops future capabilities for space, high altitude, missile defense, directed energy and cyber capabilities.
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