Dana A. Simmons is a retired United States Air Force brigadier general who formerly served as the commander of the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the investigative agency of the USAF. He took command of the AFOSI in June 2005. Prior to that, he was the Vice Commander of the AFOSI from March 2004 to June 2005. In March 2010, he ceded command to Kevin J. Jacobsen.
In 1977, Simmons received a Bachelor of Arts from Texas State University. Then in 1983, he graduated from the Air Force's Squadron Officer School. Then in 1984, attained a Master of Arts from Webster University. Then in 1989, he graduated from Air Command and Staff College, followed by graduating from Air War College in 1997.
Simmons was appointed Commander of the AFOSI in June 2005, after serving as Vice Commander from March 2004. In May 2009, he also told CBS that the AFOSI actively protecting against hacker threats against the Air Force and United States.
1977, Commissioned though the Reserve Officer Training Corps
Sept. 1977 – August 1979, Flight Commander, 100th Security Police Squadron, Beale AFB, California
August 1979 – February 1981, Operations Officer for the 3546th USAF Recruiting Squadron in Houston, Texas.
February 1981 – March 1983, Chief of the Standards Branch, HQ USAF Recruiting Service in Randolph AFB, Texas.
March 1983 – December 1985, Operations Officer, AFOSI Detachment 1040, in Randolph AFB, Texas
January 1986 – July 1988, Commander, AFOSI Detachment 6940, Ankara Air Station, Turkey
July 1988- June 1989, Simmons was a Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
July 1989 – September 1991, Simmons was the Chief of the Counterintelligence Collections Management Branch, HQ AFOSI, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C.
September 1991 – March 1994, Commander, AFOSI Detachment 214, Howard AFB, Panama
March 1994 – July 1996, Vice Commander, AFOSI 2nd Field Investigations Region, Langley AFB, Virginia
July 1996 – July 1997, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama
July 1997 – July 1999, Commander, AFOSI 43rd Field Investigations Squadron, Peterson AFB, Colorado
July 1999 – May 2001, Commander, AFOSI 62nd Field Investigations Squadron, Yokota AB, Japan
May 2001 – March 2004, Commander, AFOSI 5th Field Investigations Region, Ramstein AB, Germany
March 2004 – June 2005, Vice Commander, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Andrews AFB, Maryland
June 2005 – March 2010, Commander, Headquarters Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Andrews AFB, Maryland
Simmons retired from the Air Force on 1 April 2010.
Second Lieutenant: May 21, 1977
First Lieutenant: May 21, 1979
Captain: May 21, 1981
Major: August 21, 1988
Lieutenant Colonel: November 1, 1993
Colonel: August 1, 1999
Brigadier General: April 5, 2005
Awards and decorations
Legion of Merit
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Office of Special Investigations' Lance P. Sijan Award Recipient
