Veteran of the Week: Erik Simonson

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Madison.

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By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

MADISON – Through all the turns in Erik Simonson’s life, he never figured on staying in the Huntsville area after finishing out his 20 years in active duty with the United States Army.

Simonson, a Minnesota native, intended to serve two more years and then move back “home” to Savannah, Ga., where he most recently served at Fort Stewart. However, as defense jobs for civilians were sparse in Savannah, Simonson ended up staying in the area and shifted over to a civilian job with SAIC, which he has held since 2009.

His decision to join the Army started when he was 19, when he joined the Army Reserves in 1984. Simonson then joined the ROTC program at the University of Minnesota and finished college in 1989, when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and specialized in air defense artillery.

“I wanted to be in the branch of the Army with missiles,” Simonson said.

After locating to Fort Stewart the first time, Iraq invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990 and Simonson was in Saudi Arabia two weeks later.

Simonson was operating a FIM-92 Stinger, which is a portable surface-to-air missile, during his deployment in Operation Desert Storm. Eventually, he was assigned to be part of an assault command post for a two-star general with the weapons system.

After he returned form overseas, Simonson attained the rank of captain and helped run an Army school at Fort Jackson, S.C.

Simonson’s career then shifted, as he was selected for the Defense Acquisition Corps, the business side of the Army. He served in contract management and served three more tours in combat – in Kuwait, Bosnia and, in 2005, Iraq.

“I do feel proud of the fact that I was part of a larger mission,” Simonson said.

He once again served at Fort Stewart after Iraq and then was transferred to his last active-duty assignment, at Redstone Arsenal. He now works with the Javelin missile systems as a deputy product director.

Simonson has three children and is a member of the Rotary Club of Madison.