Stephen b. simmons

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy

Stephen B. Simmons serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy, where he oversees initiatives to strengthen military families, enhance quality of life, and foster resilience to support the warrior culture. With a distinguished 17-year career in the United States Marine Corps, exiting as a Major in 2022, Mr. Simmons brings extensive expertise in manpower policy, operational leadership, and advocacy for service members.

Mr. Simmons enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2005 and later commissioned in 2007. During his military service, Mr. Simmons served in critical leadership roles, including Site Commander, Operations Officer, and Retention Officer for the Marine Corps Total Force. Throughout his career, Mr. Simmons has been a tireless advocate for the service member and military readiness. He played a pivotal role in elevating critical manpower readiness issues, shaping national policy discussions.

Following his military service, Mr. Simmons led transformative logistics programs as a Senior Program Manager at Amazon, improving North American delivery performance and leading the Last Mile Performance Operations Team. As an advisor to the Walk the Talk Foundation, he championed veterans’ rights while advocating for policy reforms to bolster military readiness.

Mr. Simmons holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in leadership studies from Hardin-Simmons University. He is also a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Expeditionary Warfare School, and Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course. His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, four Navy Commendation Medals, and the Navy Achievement Medal.