Major Jessica M. Specht serves as an Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies and Director of Staff at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) Detachment 765, The Citadel. Major Specht instructs the sophomore level cadet curriculum.
Major Specht earned her commission in 2011 after obtaining her Bachelor of Science Degree from the United States Air Force Academy. Since joining the Air Force, she has served 11 years of Active Duty service, including two deployments to Southwest Asia. Prior to her current assignment, Major Specht served as the Deputy Director of the Ninth Air Force Commander’s Action Group at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. There she supported a deployable, operational-level Joint Task Force Headquarters along with eight subordinate Wings and three direct reporting units, ensuring the operational readiness of more than 400 aircraft and 29,000 Active Duty and civilian members.
Major Specht is a Contracting Officer with an Unlimited Warrant. At the Space and Missile Systems Center, Major Specht was responsible for the acquisition planning, negotiation, procurement, and sustainment of space superiority capabilities and managed a $1.52 billion portfolio of advanced space systems requirements for cutting-edge technology in support of the warfighter.
EDUCATION
2011 Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2016 Distinguished graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2017 Master of Business Administration, American Military University, Charles Town, W.Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
May 2011-November 2014: Base Support Flight Commander, 341st Contracting Squadron, Malmstrom AFB, Mont. (April-November 2014, Director of Operations, 380th Expeditionary Contracting Squadron, Southwest Asia)
November 2014-May 2018: Chief of Future Capabilities Contracting, Space Superiority Systems, Los Angeles AFB, Calif. (January-July 2017, Deputy Chief of Current Operations, 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Southwest Asia)
May 2018-June 2020: Deputy Director, Ninth Air Force Commander’s Action Group, Shaw AFB, S.C.
June 2020-Present: Director of Staff and Assistant Professor of Aerospace Studies, Detachment 765, Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, The Citadel, S.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 25, 2011
First Lieutenant May 25, 2013
Captain May 25, 2015
Major January 1, 2021
(CURRENT AS OF JULY 2022)