Lt. Gen. John B. Cooper is Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. General Cooper is responsible to the Chief of Staff for leadership, management and integration of Air Force logistics readiness; aircraft, munitions, and missile maintenance; civil engineering; and security forces, as well as setting policy and preparing budget estimates that reflect enhancements to productivity, combat readiness and quality of life for Air Force people.
General Cooper entered the Air Force in 1983 and received his commission through the ROTC program at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. He is a career logistician who has commanded two maintenance squadrons, one maintenance group and one maintenance wing. General Cooper has also held a variety of staff leadership positions, and has been the Director of Logistics for three separate major commands and for Headquarters U.S. Air Force. Prior to this assignment, the general was the Director of Logistics, Headquarters Air Combat Command.
EDUCATION
1983 Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, The Citadel, Charleston, S.C.
1990 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1992 Master of Arts degree in business management, Webster University, Webster Groves, Mo.
1995 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1999 Master of Science degree in strategic studies, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2007 U.S. Air Force Senior Leadership Course, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, S.C.
2010 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
2012 Senior Managers in Government, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2012, Executives in Logistics and Technology, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. November 1983 - November 1986, Munitions Maintenance Officer, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2. December 1986 - October 1988, Officer in Charge, Integrated Munitions Maintenance Branch; officer in charge, Armament Systems Branch; Maintenance Supervisor, 380th Munitions Maintenance Squadron, Plattsburgh AFB, N.Y.
3. October 1988 - October 1990, officer in charge, Aircraft Generation Branch; officer in charge, Equipment Maintenance Branch, 39th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
4. November 1990 - June 1994, Assignments Action Officer, then Executive Officer for the Chief, Mission Support Officer Assignments, Air Force Military Personnel Center, San Antonio, Texas
5. July 1994 - June 1995, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
6. July 1995 - July 1997, Commander, 4th Logistics Support Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
7. July 1997- June 1998, Commander, 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C
8. July 1998 - July 1999, Student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
9. August 1999 - July 2002, Chief, Propulsion Branch, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
10. August 2002 - July 2004, Deputy Commander, 3rd Maintenance Group, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska
11. July 2004 - July 2006, Commander, 16th Maintenance Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
12. July 2006 - June 2008, Director of Logistics, Headquarters Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
13. July 2008 - September 2010, Commander, 309th Maintenance Wing, Ogden Air Logistics Center, Hill AFB, Utah
14. October 2010 - November 2011, Director of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany
15. November 2011 - May 2014, Director of Logistics, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
16. May 2014 - May 2015, Director of Logistics, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
17. May 2015 - present, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak clusters
Air Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 14, 1983
First Lieutenant June 17, 1985
Captain June 17, 1987
Major Nov.1, 1994
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 1998
Colonel June 1, 2003
Brigadier General Dec. 9, 2008
Major General Dec. 5, 2011
Lieutenant General May 22, 2015
(Current as of May 2015)