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Brigadier General JEFFREY W. NELSON

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey W. Nelson is the Commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. This composite wing includes strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, mobility, aeromedical evacuation, and command and control assets, which support Operations INHERENT RESOLVE, SPARTAN SHIELD, and ENDURING SENTINEL. The wing provides support to more than 7,800 Air Force, joint, and coalition forces, as well as 55 mission partners.

Brig. Gen. Nelson received his commission as a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1997. He has commanded at the squadron level and twice at the wing level. His staff assignments include Headquarters Air Force, U.S. Central Command, and the 607th Air Operations Center, Republic of Korea. He has flown combat missions in support of operations in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan logging more than 366 combat hours.

Brig. Gen. Nelson is a weapons officer and command pilot with more than 4,200 flight hours in mobility and trainer aircraft. Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Nelson was the Director, Department of the Air Force Transition Cell, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.

EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science Degree, Civil Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2003 Master of Arts Degree, Organizational Management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2005 C-17A Weapons Instructor Course, McGuire AFB, N.J.
2007 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Master of Airpower Art and Science Degree, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 National Defense Fellow, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
2017 Joint and Combined Warfighting School (JPME-II), Norfolk, Va.
2018 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kennan Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2021 Senior Leader Security Seminar, Dahlgren, Va.


ASSIGNMENTS

  1. August 1997 – September 1998, Student, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Class 98-14, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
  2. September 1998 – Dec 1998, Student, C-17A Copilot Initial Qualification course, Altus AFB, Okla.
  3. January 1999 – June 2002, Wing Mission Director and C-17A Instructor Aircraft Commander, 437th Operations Support Squadron and 17th Airlift Squadron, Charleston AFB, S.C.
  4. June 2002 – June 2003, Intern, Air Force Intern Program, Office of the Secretary of Defense and Headquarters Air Force Staff, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
  5. June 2003 – June 2006, Assistant Director of Operations, Flight Commander, and C-17A Evaluator Aircraft Commander, 8th Airlift Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
  6. June 2006 – June 2009, Operations Officer, Course Director, Weapons Officer, and C-17A Instructor Aircraft Commander, 57th Weapons Squadron, McGuire AFB, N.J. 
  7. June 2009 – June 2010, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
  8. June 2010 – June 2012, Strategic Planner, Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate (J5), U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
  9. June 2012 – January 2014, Commander, 58th Airlift Squadron, Altus AFB, Okla.
  10. January 2014 – June 2014, Deputy Commander, 97th Mission Support Group, Altus AFB, Okla.
  11. July 2014 – June 2015, National Defense Fellow, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
  12. June 2015 – June 2016, Chief, Strategy Division, 607th Air Operations Center, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea.
  13. June 2016 – July 2017, Vice Commander, 437th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
  14. July 2017 – September 2018, Commander, 628th Air Base Wing and Commander, Joint Base Charleston, S.C.
  15. September 2018 – July 2020, Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
  16. July 2020 – August 2021, Director, Checkmate, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
  17. August 2021 – May 2022, Director, Department of the Air Force Transition Cell, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
  18. May 2022 – Present, Commander, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Udeid AB, Qatar

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS

  1. June 2010 – June 2012, Strategic Planner, Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate (J5), U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla., as a major and lieutenant colonel.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: more than 4,200
Aircraft flown: C-17A, C-5M, KC-10A, T-1A, and T-37B


MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters 

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters 

Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters 

Aerial Achievement Medal 

Joint Service Commendation Medal 

Air Force Commendation Medal 

Army Commendation Medal


EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

Second Lieutenant May 28, 1997

First Lieutenant May 28, 1999

Captain May 28, 2001

Major Nov. 1, 2006

Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2011

Colonel May 1, 2016

Brigadier General July 3, 2022

 

(Current as of July 2022)