Colonel Jonathan M. Letsinger is Vice Commander, 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. He is responsible for a wing composed of two groups and six squadrons, including two F-22 fighter squadrons and a T-38A aggressor detachment. As vice commander, he ensures the wing is ready to mobilize and deploy anywhere in the world and gain and maintain air superiority by actively engaging and destroying enemy air forces.
Colonel Letsinger was commissioned in the United States Air Force in 1992 after graduating from the USAF Academy with a degree in Human Factors. He completed Euro-Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJPT) at Sheppard AFB in April 1994 and has served as flight commander, chief of stan eval, chief of safety, and Commander of the 49th Operational Support Squadron, Holloman AFB, NM. He served on the HAF staff in the Global Power directorate, was a distinguished graduate at Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB, and most recently completed a joint duty remote staff tour in AFCENT at the 609 AOC, Al Udeid AB.
Colonel Letsinger is a Command Pilot with more than 2700 hours in the KC-135R, F-15, T-38, and F-22. He participated in multiple operations, including UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, SOUTHERN WATCH, and DENY FLIGHT in the F-15 and KC-135. He is married to the former Julie Jacobsen of Great Falls, MT, who served six years as a USAF nurse. They have two sons, Jacob (12) and Jackson (10).
EDUCATION:
1992 Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Factors, U.S. Air Force Academy
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2003 Master's Degree in Business (MBA), Touro University International, CA
2006 Masters Degree in Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College in residence, Maxwell AFB, AL
2007 Air War College (seminar)
2011 Air War College
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1993 - April 1994, Student, ENJPT Undergraduate Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, TX
2. July 1994 - May 1997, KC-135 pilot, Asst Chief of Scheduling, Robins AFB, GA
3. Oct 1997 - June 1998, Student, F-15 Replacement Training Unit, Tyndall AFB, FL
4. June 1998 - Jan 2001, Chief of Scheduling, 390th Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, ID
5. Jan 2001 Dec 2003, F-15 Formal Training Unit Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, Assistant Director of Ops, 2nd Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL
6. Dec 2003 - Dec 2004, Det Commander, U.S. Military Training Mission, F-15 IP, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
7. Dec 2004 - July 2005, Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (JUCAS) Operations Program Manager, SAF AQPF, Global Power Directorate, HQ Air Force, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
8. July 2005 - July 2006, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
9. Aug 2006 - June 2008, Chief of Stan Eval, F15IP, 48th OG, RAF Lakenheath, U.K
10. July 2008 - Jun 2009 49th Fighter Wing Chief of Safety, Holloman AFB, NM
11. Jun 2009 - Jun 2011, Commander 49th Operational Support Squadron, F-22 Pilot, Holloman AFB, NM
12. Jun 2011 - July 2012, Student Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
13. Aug 2012 - Aug 2013, Deputy Director, Combat Ops Division, 609 CAOC, Al Udeid AB
14. Aug 2013 - Jun 2014, Deputy Commander 3rd Operations Group, JBER, AK
15. Jun 2014 - present, Vice Commander, 1st Fighter Wing, JBLE, VA
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 2,900
Primary aircraft flown: F-22, F-15 and KC135
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 27 1992
First Lieutenant June 1, 1994
Captain June 1, 1996
Major December 1 2002
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2007
Colonel February 1, 2014
(Current as of July 2014)