Colonel Jay A. Johnson is the Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, California. As Commander, he is responsible for the combined efforts of all wing operations and support activities associated with the worldwide air mobility mission. The C-5M Super Galaxy, KC-10 Extender, C-17 Globemaster III, and KC-46 Pegasus aircraft assigned to Travis AFB participate in airlift and aerial refueling taskings, responding to Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed combat operations and supporting U.S. State Department-sponsored humanitarian relief efforts worldwide. He is also responsible for ensuring the readiness and well-being of more than 26,100 active duty, Reserve, civilian personnel, and their families.
Colonel Johnson graduated from San Francisco State University and received his commission as a distinguished graduate from the University of California at Berkeley in 1999. His service and leadership experience spans several key operational and staff positions at the squadron, wing, and joint staff levels. He is a graduate of Air Mobility Command’s Phoenix Mobility program and the United States Air Force’s Defense Legislative Fellowship. His deployment experience includes Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. Prior to this position, Colonel Johnson was the Chief of Staff, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. As Chief of Staff, he was the principal advisor to the commander and deputy commander, and principal staff leader providing guidance to eleven flying training wings, four technical training wings, a medical wing, Air University, two numbered Air Forces, nationwide recruiting operations and headquarters directors and chiefs of special staff across all functional specialties.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Science, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, Calif.
2006 Top Third Graduate, Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence.
2009 Master’s degree in Aviation Safety with distinction, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Fla.
2011 Air Force Fellow, Capitol Hill Legislative Fellowship Program, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. 2013 Air War College, by correspondence.
2017 Distinguished Graduate, Master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2020 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
2024 Leading Data and AI-Enabled Organizations, John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD.
ASSIGNMENTS or CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. February 1999 – November 1999, Operations Staff Officer, 726th Air Control Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Ida.
2. November 1999 – November 2000, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. November 2000 – February 2004, T-1A Stan/Eval Instructor Pilot and Executive Officer, 48th Flying Training Squadron, Columbus AFB, Miss.
4. February 2004 – July 2007, 60th Air Mobility Wing Executive Officer, KC-10A Instructor Aircraft Commander and Flight Commander, 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
5. July 2007 – May 2008, Phoenix Mobility Program, Command and Control Flight Commander, 573d Global Support Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
6. May 2008 – July 2009, Phoenix Mobility Program, Assistant Director of Operations, Training Flight Commander and Air Refueling Control Team Chief, 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
7. July 2009 – June 2010, Phoenix Mobility Program, Director of Operations and Contingency Response Element Operations Officer, 571st Global Mobility Readiness Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
8. June 2010 – December 2011, Legislative Fellow for House Armed Services Committee Member, Washington, D.C.
9. December 2011 – June 2014, Executive Assistant to the Director and Action Officer, Joint Staff (J5) Pakistan Afghanistan Coordination Cell, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
10. June 2014 – June 2015, Commander, 571st Global Mobility Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
11. June 2015 – June 2016, Commander, 921st Contingency Response Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
12. June 2016 – June 2017, Student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
13. June 2017 – June 2018, Branch Chief, International Training & Education, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force (International Affairs), the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
14. June 2018 – December 2018, Division Chief, International Training, Education, and Policy, Office of the Under Secretary of the Air Force (International Affairs), the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
15. December 2018 – February 2021, Vice Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
16. February 2021 – July 2023, Commander, 71st Flying Training Wing, Vance AFB, Okla.
17. July 2023 – July 2024, Chief of Staff, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Tex.
18. July 2024- Present, Wing Commander, 60 Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
December 2011 – March 2014, Executive Assistant to the Director and Action Officer, Pakistan Afghanistan Coordination Cell (J5), Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a Major and later Lieutenant Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Hours flown: More than 3,400
Aircraft flown: T-37B, T-1A, T-6A, and KC-10
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
NATO Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant January 18, 1999
First Lieutenant January 18, 2001
Captain January 18, 2003
Major September 1, 2008
Lieutenant Colonel November 1, 2012
Colonel February 1, 2019
(Current as of July 2024)