Mr. Simmons is Professor of Practice at the School of Advanced Warfighting.
He completed a 30-year career as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, leading units on operations at every level from the platoon to the Marine Expeditionary Unit. His last operational assignment was as the commander of a naval task force that operated in the EUCOM, CENTCOM, and AFRICOM areas of responsibility. At the close of his active-duty career, he spearheaded service-level transformation efforts to modernize the Marine Corps in order to address growing threats from great power competitors in Europe and Asia.
Since his active-duty service, he has worked as a senior research fellow in the defense technology sector and as a leadership mentor specializing in adaptation and innovation. A particular focus of his efforts has been on understanding the impact of artificial intelligence on the conduct of warfare.
Mr. Simmons is also a non-resident fellow in the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Additionally, he is a former fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, was a member of the Marine Corps University Press editorial board and has decades of experience in analytical and commercial wargaming.
He is a graduate of Syracuse University, the School of Advanced Military Studies, Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program, and the National War College in Washington, D.C.