Jack Anthony served 30 years in the United States Air Force in senior space engineering and operations roles, including assignments as an astronautics educator, flight test engineer, and Director of Personnel for Air Force Space Command. He commanded the 1st Space Operations Squadron and led multiple research and development spacecraft programs. His service included positions within Air Force Space Command and the National Reconnaissance Office, as well as temporary duty with NASA, including deployment to Johnson Space Center in 2003 as the Department of Defense liaison supporting the Space Shuttle Columbia accident investigation.

After retiring from the Air Force in 2004, he continued supporting Air Force and Space Force missions as a contractor, serving as a spacecraft operations leader and technical advisor for orbit maneuvering and rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) missions. He also mentored cadets as the operations educator for the U.S. Air Force Academy’s FalconSAT spacecraft program. Selected to the AAC Board of Directors in 2019, he was further recognized in 2024 when Launch Pad #1 was named in his honor.