Maj. Gen. Samuel C. Keener serves as the Director, Joint Forces Development and Training (J7), Headquarters United States Space Command. US Space Command is one of 11 Unified Combatant Commands under the Department of Defense and is responsible for deterring conflict and defending U.S. and Allied freedom of action in Space.

Maj. Gen. Keener graduated from University of Tennessee and received his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1992. His operational experience includes the Minuteman Ill Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, the early warning Solid State Phased Array Warning System and the Space Surveillance AN/FPS-17, -79 radars. He has deployed in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. Maj. Gen. Keener also served as Senior Space Planner, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Joint Command (IJC), Kabul, Afghanistan. Prior to his current position, Maj. Gen. Keener was the Deputy Director of Space Operations, National Guard Bureau, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia.