Colonel Joshua A. Jackson is the Deputy Wing Commander, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The Wing comprises three groups, twelve squadrons and is tasked to accomplish undergraduate helicopter pilot training, graduate flying training for Special Ops, Personnel Recovery and DV airlift aircrew and Air Force Survival School training. Previously, Col Jackson served as the Deputy Commander of the 752d Special Operations Group based at RAF Mildenhall, UK and Commander and Operations officer of the 17th Special Operations Squadron based in Kadena AB, Japan.
Colonel Jackson graduated from Texas Tech University with a B.B.A in Management and was commissioned through the Air Force ROTC program in 2002. A career pilot, he has enjoyed assignments as an aircraft commander, instructor pilot, and evaluator pilot in the MC-130P Combat Shadow and as an aircraft commander and instructor pilot in the MC-130J Commando II. He also served as the Special Operations Command-Pacific’s Program Objective Memorandum and Requirements Division Chief. He has served in Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, and multiple humanitarian relief and contingency operations throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. Colonel Jackson was commander of the 9th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron, Joint Special Operations Air Component Central, Special Operations Air Component Central, supporting combat operations across three Geographic Combatant Commands.
Colonel Jackson is married to the former Jyl C. Jackson of Southlake, TX. They are proud parents of Connor and Cooper.
EDUCATION
2002 Bachelors of Business Administration – Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX
2002 Aerospace Basic Course, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2010 Masters of Science – Sports Administration, American Military University, Manassas, VA
2011 United States Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Hurlburt Field, FL
2013 Air Command and General Staff College (correspondence), Maxwell AFB, AL
2015 Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
2023 United States Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2002 – January 2003, Transition Officer, 14th Operations Support Squadron, Columbus AFB, MS
2. January 2003 – June 2003, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, NM
3. June 2003 – March 2004, Student, United States Navy Pilot Training, VT-35, Corpus Christi, TX
4. March 2004 – January 2005, Student, MC-130 mission pilot initial qualification, Kirtland AFB, NM
5. January 2005 – June 2008, MC-130P Aircraft Commander, Executive Officer, and Deputy Current Operations Flight Commander, 9th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
6. June 2008 – December 2011, MC-130P Evaluator Pilot, Resource Advisor, Group Executive Officer, 67th Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, UK
7. December 2011 – December 2012, MC-130P Evaluator Pilot, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 9th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
8. December 2012 – September 2013, Chief, Special Mission Plans, 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, FL
9. September 2013 – June 2014, Assistant Operations Officer, 1st Special Operations Air Operations Squadron, Hurlburt AFB, FL
10. June 2014 – July 2015, Student Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, KS
11. July 2015 – May 2017, Chief, Requirements and Resources, Special Operations Command, Pacific, Camp Smith, HI
12. May 2017 – March 2018, Student, MC-130J mission pilot initial qualification, Kirtland AFB, NM
13. March 2018 – May 2019, Operations Officer, 17th Special Operations Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
14. May 2019 – July 2020, Commander, 17th Special Operations Squadron, Kadena AB, Japan
15. July 2020 – June 2022, Deputy Commander, 752d Special Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall, UK
16. June 2022 – June 2023, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Senior Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 2,900, including over 600 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: MC-130J, MC-130P, HC-130J, HC-130P, C-130E, C-12, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal (3 Awards)
Air Medal (5 Awards)
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal (1 Award)
Combat Readiness Medal (1 Awards)
Nation Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (2 Awards)
Iraqi Campaign Medal (1 Award)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
AF Overseas Ribbon Long
NATO Medal
USAF Weapons Instructor Course Flying Award
Distinguished Graduate, C-130 Initial Course, MC-130P Initial Course, CGSC
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS
Second Lieutenant 29 May 2002
First Lieutenant 29 May 2004
Captain 29 May 2006
Major 1 Jul 2012
Lieutenant Colonel 1 December 2016
Colonel 1 Oct 2022
(Current as of July 2019)