Col Jimmy L. Schlabach is the Commander of the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base (AFB) N.D. He leads more than 1,800 Air Force Airmen, civilians, and their families in support of the nation’s land-based Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) mission. The wing operates, maintains, and secures 150 Minuteman III ICBMs, 15 missile alert facilities and 150 remote launch facilities covering an 8,500 square-mile area in central North Dakota. The wing provides global deterrence and defends America with the world’s premier combat-ready ICBM force.
Col Schlabach graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Social Studies Education in 1998 and was commissioned through Officer Training School in 2000. He served in a variety of command and operations assignments, to include most recently serving as the Commander, 91st Operations Group at Minot AFB, ND. He was also the Commander of the 319th Missile Squadron, where he served eighty Airmen and their families while ensuring constant availability of up to 50 ICBMs in support of US Strategic Command. This command time included providing continuous combat capability during the global COVID-19 pandemic Operation OLYMPIC RAMPART.
He was assigned to the Nuclear Operations Division, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington D.C., where he was an author of the Nuclear Decision Handbook and part of an elite team that represented the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff for all nuclear-related issues. He was later assigned to the Air Force Weapons School at Nellis AFB, NV, where he was part of the initial cadre of instructors who developed and launched the ICBM Weapons Instructor Course. Colonel Schlabach is a master nuclear missile operator with over 7,200 hours of strategic nuclear alert duty in the Minuteman III weapons system, including during the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Prior to his current position, the colonel was the 91st Operations Group Commander, Minot AFB, ND.
EDUCATION
1998 Bachelor of Arts, Social Studies Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
2004 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2006 Masters of Science, Information Technology Management, Touro University, Cypress, Calif.
2009 Air Command and Staff College, Air University (Correspondence)
2010 ICBM Weapons Instructor Course, Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2013 Masters of Science, Military Strategy, Marine Corps University, Quantico, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2000 - September 2000, Student, ICBM Initial Qualification Training, 392nd Training Squadron, Vandenberg
AFB, Calif.
2. October 2000 - October 2004, ICBM Operations Crew Commander, Instructor, and Senior Crew Evaluator, 91st Operations
Group, Minot AFB, N.D.
3. October 2004 - August 2008, Commander, ICBM Test Management Flight, Test Manager, Test Director, and Chief, Mission Operations, 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
4. August 2008 - July 2009, Chief, Force Applications Testing, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.
5. July 2009 - June 2012, Assistant Director of Operations for Integration and Academics, Instructor, and Initial Cadre, USAF
Weapons School, 315th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. June 2012 - June 2013, Student, Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Quantico, Va.
7. June 2013 - June 2016, Operations Officer, Nuclear Operations Division, J-33, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
8. June 2016 - May 2018, Chief of Safety, 90th Missile Wing, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
9. May 2018 - June 2020, Commander, 319th Missile Squadron, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
10. June 2020 - June 2021, Deputy Commander, 90th Operations Group, F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo.
11. July 2021 - July 2022, Student, Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, Fort McNair, Washington,
D.C.
12. July 2022 - June 2024, Commander, 91st Operations Group, Minot AFB, N.D.
13. June 2024 - Present, Commander, 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
June 2013 - June 2016, Operations Officer, Nuclear Operations Div, J-33, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
OCCUPATIONAL BADGES
Master Missile Operations Badge
Senior Space Operations Badge
Nuclear Alerts: 300 days (~7,200 hours)
Weapon System: Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting-A (REACT-A) for LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Jan. 14, 2000
First Lieutenant Jan. 14, 2002
Captain Jan. 14, 2004
Major Sept. 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2015
Colonel Apr. 1, 2021
(Current as of June 2024)