Colonel Sarah J. Zimmerman is the Deputy Commander, 557th Weather Wing, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. The wing consists of more than 1,450 active duty and civil service personnel at 19 locations around the world providing centralized environmental products and services, including climatological and space weather support to Air Force, Army, Joint Force, and other Department of Defense activities. The wing executes worldwide operations to enable air and space superiority, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, rapid global mobility, global strike, and command and control in support of all geographic and functional combatant commands.
Colonel Zimmerman entered active duty in the Air Force in December 2003. She commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps upon graduation from Arizona State University. Colonel Zimmerman has served over 21 years in various leadership, command, and staff positions at the tactical, operational, and strategic level. She deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. Prior to her current position, Colonel Zimmerman was the Director’s Action Group Chief at the Cyber Acquisition and Technology Directorate, United States Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.
EDUCATION
2003 Bachelor of Science, Geography with an emphasis in Meteorology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
2004 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Master of Arts, Management with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership, American Military University, Charles Town, W. Va.
2014 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2017 Master of Arts, Counseling and Leadership, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2021 Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2023 Joint Professional Military Education Phase II, Joint and Combined Warfighting School, Norfolk, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2004 – April 2004, Student, Weather Officer Course, Keesler Air Force Base, Miss.
2. April 2004 – July 2005, Meteorologist, 25th Operational Weather Squadron, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.
3. July 2005 – September 2006, Lead Meteorologist, 25th Operational Weather Squadron, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
4. September 2006 – November 2008, Wing Weather Officer, 9th Operations Support Squadron, Beale AFB, Calif.
5. November 2008 – June 2009, Assistant Flight Commander, 9th Operations Support Squadron, Beale AFB, Calif. (Flight Commander, 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
6. June 2009 – April 2010, Flight Commander, 9th Operations Support Squadron, Beale AFB, Calif.
7. April 2010 – May 2012, Chief, Nuclear Response Weather Support, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla. (Staff Weather Officer, Army Central Command, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait)
8. May 2012 – July 2013, Executive Officer, Air Force Technical Applications Center, Patrick AFB, Fla.
9. July 2013 – Jun 2016, Commander, Detachment 1, 1st Weather Squadron, Fort Shafter, Hawaii
10. June 2016 – May 2017, Air Officer Commanding Master’s Program, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
11. May 2017 – May 2018, Vice Commandant of Cadet Candidates, United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School, Colo.
12. May 2018 – July 2019, Commandant of Cadet Candidates, United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School, Colo.
13. July 2019 – July 2021, Commander, 17th Operational Weather Squadron, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
14. July 2021 – January 2023, Deputy Commander, 707th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
15. January 2023 – October 2023, Deputy Chief of Staff for the USCYBERCOM Director of Intelligence, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
16. October 2023 – January 2024, Chief of Staff for the USCYBERCOM Director of Intelligence, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
17. January 2024 – July 2025, Chief, Director’s Action Group for the USCYBERCOM Cyber Acquisition and Technology Directorate, Fort George G. Meade, Md.
18. July 2025 – Present, Deputy Commander, 557th Weather Wing, Offutt AFB, Nebr.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2023 – October 2023, Deputy Chief of Staff for the USCYBERCOM Director of Intelligence, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a lieutenant colonel
2. October 2023 – January 2024, Chief of Staff for the USCYBERCOM Director of Intelligence, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a lieutenant colonel
3. January 2024 – July 2025, Chief, Director’s Action Group for the USCYBERCOM Cyber Acquisition and Technology Directorate, Fort George G. Meade, Md., as a colonel
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Army Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2006 Distinguished Graduate, Combat Weather Team Officer Course
(Current as of July 2025)