Brig. Gen. Otis C. Jones is the Commander, 86th Airlift Wing, and Installation Commander Ramstein Air Base, Germany. As the installation host, the 86 AW supports the headquarters for U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa, Third Air Force, two tenant wings, and more than 120 mission partners to include the integration and caring for the greater Kaiserslautern Military Community and its 56,000 U.S. service members and their families. As the 86 AW commander, he leads a wing composed of seven groups and 30 squadrons across four bases in Germany, Spain, Belgium, and Portugal. The 86 AW’s mission is to build Airmen, project power, and support partners. The wing conducts USAFE-AFAFRICA’s only airlift, airdrop, and aeromedical evacuation flying operations, providing rapid mobility and expeditionary combat support for military operations.
Brig. Gen. Jones is from Selma, Alabama, and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1995. He has served as a Flight Examiner and Instructor Aircraft Commander in the C-130E Hercules and C-17A Globemaster III. Brig. Gen. Jones has flown numerous combat sorties supporting Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, JOINT GUARD, IRAQI FREEDOM, and ENDURING FREEDOM, as well as worldwide missions delivering humanitarian aid and vital supplies. He has commanded units stateside and overseas at the squadron, group and wing levels, and has served in multiple staff positions, including assignments at Headquarters Air Force, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, North American Aerospace Defense Command, and U.S. Northern Command.
Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Jones was the Vice Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy. In this capacity, he served as the chief operations officer and executive advisor to the Superintendent and was the principal coordinating agent for all command matters.
EDUCATION
1995 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2005 Master of Business Administration and Management, Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.
2007 Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.
2007 Master of Military Arts and Science, Command and General Staff College, Ft Leavenworth, Kan.
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2015 Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2015 Master of Strategic Studies, Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2016 Senior Manager Course in National Security Leadership, George Washington University Elliot School of International Affairs, National Security Studies Program, Washington, D.C.
2021 Middle East & South Asia Domestic Divisions and Regional Conflicts, Alan L. Freed Associates, The Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
2022 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, The Capitol Hill Club, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1995 – December 1995, Assistant Intercollegiate Program Manager, U.S. Air Force Academy Athletic Department, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
2. December 1995 – July 1996, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. July 1996 – February 1997, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas
4. February 1997 – December 2001, C-130E Instructor Aircraft Commander, Assistant Flight Commander, Pilot Scheduler, Training Officer, and Standardization and Evaluation Liaison Officer, 2nd Airlift Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
5. December 2001 – September 2003, C-130E Formal Training Unit Flight Examiner and Instructor Aircraft Commander, Flight Commander, Group Executive Officer, 62nd Airlift Squadron, 314th Operations Group, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
6. September 2003 – May 2006, C-17A Flight Examiner and Instructor Aircraft Commander, Flight Commander, Assistant Director of Operations, Detachment Commander, 7th Airlift Squadron, McChord AFB, Wash.
7. May 2006 – July 2007, Student, Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
8. July 2007 – June 2008, Chief, Airlift Capabilities Branch, Global Mobility Capabilities-Based Planning, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
9. June 2008 – May 2010, Chief, Tactical Airlift Branch, Global Reach Capabilities Division, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
10. May 2010 – June 2011, Executive officer to the Director, Operational Planning, Policy and Strategy, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Plans and Requirements, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
11. June 2011 – May 2013, Commander, 726th Air Mobility Squadron, Spangdahlem AB, Germany
12. June 2013 – July 2014, Executive Officer to the Vice Commander, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
13. July 2014 – June 2015, Student, Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
14. June 2015 – June 2016, Chief, Homeland Defense Policy Branch, Strategy, Policy and Doctrine Division, Strategy, Policy and Plans Directorate, NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo.
15. June 2016 – June 2017, Chief, Mobility Division, Logistics and Engineering Directorate, NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo.
16. July 2017 – July 2018, Commander, 19th Operations Group, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
17. July 2018 – June 2020, Commander, 374th Airlift Wing, Yokota Air Base, Japan
18. June 2020 – July 2022, Vice Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
19. July 2022 – present, Commander, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2015 – June 2016, Chief, Homeland Defense Policy Branch, Strategy, Policy and Doctrine Division,
Strategy, Policy and Plans Directorate, NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo., as a Lieutenant Colonel
2. June 2016 – June 2017, Chief, Mobility Division, Logistics and Engineering Directorate, NORAD and
USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colo., as a Colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight Hours: More than 3,100, including 269 combat hours
Aircraft Flown: T-37B, T-44A, C-130E, C-17A, C-130J, C-12J
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device with six oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Force Organizational Excellence Award
Japan Defense Cooperation Medal with oak leaf cluster
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2021 United States Air Force Academy Athletic Hall of Fame
2020 The Emperor of Japan Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
2020 Pacific Air Forces General and Mrs. Jerome F. O’Malley Award
2019 Honorary Doctor of Public Service, University of Maryland University College
2019 Department of State Meritorious Honor Award
1997, 1998, 2000 All-Air Force Men’s Basketball Team (Gold Medalist)
1997, 1998 All-Armed Forces Men’s Basketball Team (Gold Medalist)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 31, 1995
First Lieutenant May 31, 1997
Captain May 31, 1999
Major August 1, 2005
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2010
Colonel September 1, 2016
Brigadier General August 5, 2022
(CURRENT AS OF NOVEMBER 2022)