BG Simonson is the Deputy Commanding General Professional Services for the 3d Medical Command. Prior to her assignment to the 3d MCDS, General Simonson served as the Assistant Director for Support (AD-S) and the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for the Defense Health Agency (DHA). As the AD-S, Simonson was responsible for leading the DHA in matters pertaining to personnel, manpower, acquisition, contracting, program management, analytics, strategic planning, education and training, and research and development, serving the needs of primary, secondary, and tertiary care medical centers, hospitals, and ambulatory care clinics, within the Military Health System (MHS). Arriving to DHA in 2021, she initially served as the Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) under AD-S for Research & Engineering. Immediately prior to these assignment at DHA, she served as the Commander, 2nd Medical Training Brigade after completing a CENTCOM operational tour as the Deputy Commander OCP, Task Force Med, in Qatar.
A native of Brooklyn and Elmira New York, Simonson is a Distinguished Military Graduate of Canisius College, Buffalo, New York. Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a Master of Nursing from the University of Washington, Seattle. Simonson began active service at the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt and 51st Combat Support Hospital (CSH) in Germany. Upon return from Germany, she served at Madigan Army Medical Center. In 1998, Simonson transitioned to the reserve and served at the 6250th US Army Hospital as Chief Nursing Officer. Attached to the 104th Training Division from 1999-2001, Simonson served as the Director of the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Critical Care Nurse Course. Her other assignments at the 6250th included Chief, Critical Care Department and Executive Officer.
BG Simonson mobilized 2003-2005 and 2009-2012 to Madigan Army Medical Center. Her assignments included: Deputy Director, US Army Medical Department Center, and School (AMEDDC&S) Critical Care Course; Section Chief, Medical Surgical Nursing; Section Chief, Nursing Administration, and Section Chief, Critical Care. Upon return to reserve service, Simonson assumed the dual role of Chief, Clinical Operations and Professional Services, 2nd Medical Training Brigade in San Pablo, CA. She commanded the 396th CSH from 2015 to 2018. Simonson deployed to Qatar from 2018 to 2019 as the Deputy Commander 3d Medical Command (Deployment Support) Operational Command Post. Upon returning from deployment, she assumed command of the 2nd Medical Training Brigade in Salt Lake City.
BG Simonson is a graduate of the AMEDD Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Medical Management of Chemical Biologic Casualty Course, AMEDD Critical Care Nurse Course, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School (CAS3), the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC) and the Army War College.
BG Simonson’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Commendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Achievement Medal; Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters; National Defense Service Medal (with 1 Bronze Service Star); Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Overseas Ribbon (2), Army Superior Unit Award, the Parachutist Badge, and German Army. Proficiency Badge. She was the 2001 Army Nurse Corps Award of Excellence winner and 2003 inductee into the Order of Military Medical Merit.