Maj. John Sims, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, serves as the deputy commander for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District.
Sims enlisted in the Army in December 2002 before being commissioned into the Corps of Engineers in August 2009 after graduating from Purdue University's Indianapolis campus. From 2010 to 2013, he served as a platoon leader and executive officer with the 46th Engineer Battalion, executing vertical construction and search-and-rescue operations in support of the Army's Defense Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Response Force mission.
From 2013 to 2015, Sims served as deputy group engineer for the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), including a deployment to Afghanistan. He then served with the 3rd Cavalry Regiment from 2016 to 2019 as regimental engineer before assuming command of A Troop, Regimental Engineer Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment.
Sims later volunteered to serve as an advisor with the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade, leading Team 3522 in the 5th Battalion, 3rd SFAB, from 2019 to 2020. During that deployment, he led his advisor team in Afghanistan in advising and supporting two Afghan National Army kandaks responsible for securing the "Ring of Steel" road network into Kabul and the city's 44 embassies.
After graduating from the Command and General Staff Officers Course, Sims was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Germany, where he served as regimental engineer, engineer squadron operations officer (S-3) and engineer squadron executive officer. From 2021 to 2024, he participated in numerous multinational training exercises and deployments across Europe.
Sims then transitioned to the newly activated 7th Engineer Brigade in Ansbach, Germany, serving first as brigade operations officer (S-3) and later as brigade executive officer. In those roles, he helped plan and execute exercises while delivering engineer support across three continents.
Sims earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering technology from Purdue University, a Master of Science in engineering management from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a Master of Military Operational Art and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He is also a certified Project Management Professional.
His military education includes the Security Force Assistance Brigade Advisor Course, Rappel Master Course, Pathfinder Course, Joint Engineer Operations Course, Sapper Leader Course, Technical Rescue I and II, Airborne School and Air Assault School.
His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with one silver oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Unit Commendation with two oak leaf clusters, Army Superior Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster, multiple service awards, the Steel and Bronze de Fleury Medals, and the Bronze Order of Saint George.
Sims is married and has three children.