Brig. Gen. Travolis A. Simmons is the Commander, Nineteenth Air Force, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Nineteenth Air Force is composed of over 18,000 total force personnel and 1,153 aircraft assigned to 15 total force wings across the United States. He is responsible for approximately 35% of the U.S. Air Force’s annual flying hour program and directs foundational aircrew training courses producing over 14,000 graduates annually. The training encompasses undergraduate and graduate fixed and rotary wing pilots, remotely piloted aircraft pilots, combat systems officers, air battle managers, weapons directors, and graduate career enlisted aviators, which provides fully qualified aircrew personnel to the warfighting commands.
Prior to his current role, Gen. Simmons served as Director of Training and Force Management, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.
Gen. Simmons holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama and received his commission in 1997 as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He earned his pilot wings at Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He is a command pilot with more than 2,100 flying hours and qualifications in the F-16C/D, F-117A, and F-22A. He has commanded at the squadron, group, and wing levels, and has held joint, combined, and Air Force staff positions.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry Riddle University, Fla.
2010 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Master of Science in Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, The Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C
2019 Driving Government Performance, Harvard Business School, Harvard University, Boston, Mass.
2026 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 1998–June 1998, Special Assistant to the Commander, Samford University ROTC, Birmingham, Ala.
2. June 1998–December 1999, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
3. January 2000–August 2000, Student, F-16C Initial Qualification Training, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. September 2000–September 2001, F-16CG Pilot and Squadron Scheduler, Osan Air Base, South Korea
5. September 2001–May 2004, F-16C Instructor Pilot and Chief of Training, Dannelly Field, Ala.
6. May 2004–August 2004, Student, F-117A Initial Qualification Training, Holloman AFB, N.M.
7. August 2004–May 2007, F-117A Flight Examiner, T-38A Pilot, Flight Commander, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Holloman AFB, N.M.
8. May 2007–September 2007, Student, F-22A Initial Qualification Training, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
9. September 2007–July 2009, F-22A Mission Commander, Chief of Wing Training, Assistant Director of Operations, Langley AFB, Va.
10. August 2009–June 2010, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2010–June 2011, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. August 2011–November 2012, Chief, Commander’s Action Group, U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
13. November 2012–February 2014, Chief of Safety, 3rd Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
14. February 2014–May 2015, Commander, 3rd Operations Support Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
15. July 2015–June 2016, Student, The Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
16. June 2016–July 2018, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander United Nations Command / U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea
17. August 2018–July 2019, Commander, 57th Adversary Tactics Group, Nellis AFB, Nev.
18. July 2019–July 2020, Vice Commander, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
19. July 2020–July 2022, Commander, 3rd Wing, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska
20. August 2022–September 2023, Inspector General, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
21. September 2023–December 2023, Deputy Director of Training and Readiness, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
22. December 2023–June 2026, Director of Training and Force Management, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
23. July 2026 – present, Commander, Nineteenth Air Force, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2016–July 2018, Executive Officer to the Deputy Commander United Nations Command / U.S. Forces Korea, Yongsan Army Garrison, South Korea, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,100
Aircraft flown: T/AT-38, F-16C/D, F-117A, F-22A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 15, 1998
First Lieutenant Jan. 15, 2000
Captain Jan. 15, 2002
Major July 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2011
Colonel May 1, 2017
Brigadier General June 2, 2023
(Current as of July 2026)