James “Jake” Jacobson, USAF (Ret), joined SMI as a Senior Advisor in December 2024, following 34 years of distinguished Air Force Service. Prior to Retirement, Jake was the Deputy Commander of Pacific Air Forces and the Deputy Joint Forces Air Component Commander. In this role, he was responsible for planning and conducting Air Force and partner activities spread over half the globe.
Previously he served as the Director of Air Force Training and Readiness leading the development of 20,000 aviators, their training, retention, airspace, ranges, virtual ranges and future programs.
Jake also served as the Commander of the Air Force District of Washington, garnering extensive experience with, enterprise IT, drone operations, base realignments, Continuity of Government, and consequence management. Jake served as the US Air Force’s primary programmer, building and defending service. Lastly, he brings extensive Defense/Diplomacy experience, having served as the Deputy Foreign Policy Advisor for US Africa Command.
Jake graduated from the US Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and from the US Army Command and General Staff College. He was an Air Force Fellow, at Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Force Service.