Colonel Jonathan "JALO" King commands the 18th Air Support Operations Group, Air Combat Command, Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina. The group is aligned with the XVIII Airborne Corps and its Divisions, the 82d Airborne, 101st Airborne Air Assault, 10th Mountain, and the 3d Infantry Divisions. The 18 ASOG organizes, trains, equips and employs Tactical Air Control Parties, Air Support Operations centers, Special Warfare Mission Support Airmen, and Combat Weather Support teams for joint operations worldwide. The group comprises over 1000 Airmen, Civilian and Contractors within 17 units at 9 different installations throughout the eastern United States. The 18th ASOG provides precision air, space, and cyber capabilities to conventional, airborne and special operations forces.
Colonel King is a 1996 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy. His operational assignments include two tours as a B-52 pilot and three tours as an Air Liaison Officer (ALO). While assigned as an ALO, Col King deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. His flying experience also includes a tour in Air Education and Training Command as a T-38 Instructor Pilot. Colonel King was previously the Director of Operations, Air Forces Strategic, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana where he directed daily planning and execution of world-wide strategic bomber forces providing nuclear and conventional deterrence and global strike capability in support of United States’ national security objectives. Additionally, Colonel King commanded the 14th Air Support Operations Squadron providing Tactical Air Control Party support to the 82nd Airborne Division and specializing in Airborne Joint Forcible Entry operations. He is a Combat Parachutist and a Command Pilot with more than 2,400 hours in the B-52H and T-38A/C.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science degree in History, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
2010 Masters Degree in Military Operational Art/Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1996 – May 1997, Research Engineer, Dean of Faculty, United States Air Force Academy, CO
2. May 1997 – May 1998, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, MI
3. May 1998 – May 2001, B-52H Pilot, 20th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, LA
4. May 2001 – June 2003, Flight Commander, 14th Air Support Operations Squadron, Pope AFB, NC
5. June 2003 – November 2006, Assistant Director of Operations, T-38 Instructor Pilot, 25th Flying Training Squadron, Vance AFB, OK
6. November 2006 – July 2009, Assistant Director of Operations, B-52H Instructor/Evaluator Pilot, 96th Bomb Squadron, Barksdale AFB, LA
7. July 2009 – June 2010, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
8. June 2010 – May 2013, Chief of Bomber Operations Inspections, Headquarters Air Force Global Strike Command, Office of the Inspector General, Barksdale AFB, LA
9. May 2013 – Jun 2015, Commander, 14th Air Support Operations Squadron, Pope AAF, NC
10. June 2015 – July 2017, Deputy Commander, 4th Air Support Operations Group, United States Army Garrison, Wiesbaden, Germany
11. July 2017 – Aug 2018, Director of Safety, Headquarters 8th Air Force, Barksdale AFB, LA
12. Aug 2018 - June 2020, Director of Operations, Air Forces Strategic, Barksdale AFB, LA
13. June 2020 - Present, Commander, 18th Air Support Operations Group, Pope Army Airfield, NC
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Bronze Star with Valor Device
Meritorious Service Medal (7 oak leaf clusters)
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal (1 oak leaf cluster)
Air Force Combat Action Medal
Presidential Unit Citation
Gallant Unit Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device (4 oak leaf clusters)
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal (2 oak leaf clusters)
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1 device)
Iraq Campaign Medal (1 device)
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal (1 device)
Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal (N device, 2 oak leaf clusters)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 29, 1996
First Lieutenant May 29, 1998
Captain May 29, 2000
Major May 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel August 1, 2011
Colonel October 1, 2017
(Current as of July 2020)