MAJOR GENERAL JACK L. BRIGGS II

Maj. Gen. Jack Briggs is currently the Director of Operations for Headquarters U.S Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.  The Directorate of Operations serves as the principal adviser to the USNORTHCOM Commander on all operational matters, providing strategic guidance to plan and execute NORTHCOM missions within the area of responsibility; including Land, Maritime, and Homeland Defense Air Operations as well as Defense Support to Civil Authorities. 

General Briggs previously served as Vice Commander, 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida and served as the Deputy Joint Forces Air Component Commander for U.S. Northern Command.  

General Briggs entered the Air Force in 1986 as a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served as an instructor pilot, chief of wing safety and has commanded at the squadron and wing levels. The general has extensive experience in Europe, including his selection as the first Olmsted Scholar to Hungary, NATO staff positions, and executive officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Commander, U.S. European Command.  He served as Director of Inspections for the Air Force, and Commander of 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.  Major General Briggs has flown 225 combat sorties in operations Desert Storm, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

EDUCATION
1986 Bachelor of Science degree in history, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
1990 NATO Tactical Leadership Program, Florennes, Belgium
1993 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
1997 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1997 Master of Science degree in international economics, Budapest University of Economic Science, Hungary
1998 Master of Arts degree in international relations, Troy State University, Ala.
2005 Master's degree in strategic studies, highest honors, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2009 Executive Leadership Seminar, Darden Business School, University of Virginia, Charlottesville

ASSIGNMENTS 
1. September 1986 - October 1987, student, undergraduate pilot training, 80th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. February 1988 - August 1988, student, F-111A initial qualification training, 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho
3. September 1988 - June 1992, F-111F instructor pilot, and weapons and tactics officer, 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England
4. November 1992 - August 1994, F-15E instructor pilot; weapons and tactics officer; and standards and evaluations officer, 48th Operations Support Squadron, RAF Lakenheath, England
5. August 1994 - June 1995, student, Foreign Service Institute, U.S. State Department, Washington, D.C.
6. June 1995 - May 1997, Olmsted Scholar, Budapest University of Economic Sciences, Hungary
7. June 1997 - March 1999, F-15E instructor pilot and assistant operations officer, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
8. March 1999 - March 2001, Chief, Air Defense Weapons, and operations staff officer, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, Naples, Italy
9. March 2001 - August 2002, Chief of Safety, 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman AFB, N.M.
10. September 2002 - June 2003, Assistant Deputy Commander, 49th Operations Group, Holloman AFB, N.M.
11. June 2003 - June 2004, Commander, Air Force Forces, Joint Task Force-Bravo, and Commander, 612th Air Base Squadron, Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras
12. July 2004 - July 2005, student, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
13. July 2005 - April 2006, Director of Safety, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Ramstein AB, Germany 
14. April 2006 - June 2007, Vice Commander, 38th Combat Support Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
15. June 2007 - August 2008, Commander, 65th Air Base Wing, Lajes Field, Azores
16. August 2008 - August 2009, Executive Officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Commander, U.S. European Command, Mons, Belgium
17. August 2009 - April 2010, Director of Inspections, Office of the Air Force Inspector General, Washington, D.C.
18. April 2010 - June 2011, Commander, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
19. July 2011 – August 2013, Deputy Commander, Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Region, and Deputy Commander for Operations, 1st Air Division, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
20. August 2013 – June 2014, Vice Commander, 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern), Tyndall AFB, Fla.
21. June 2014 – present, Director of Operations, U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.

SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1.  March 1999 - March 2001, Chief, Air Defense Weapons, and operations staff officer, Allied Air Forces Southern Europe, Naples, Italy
2.  August 2008 - August 2009, Executive Officer to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Commander, U.S. European Command, Mons, Belgium
3.  July 2011 – August 2013, Deputy Commander, Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Region, and Deputy Commander for Operations, 1st Air Division, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
4.  June 2014 – present, Director of Operations, U.S. Northern Command, Peterson AFB, Colo.

FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command pilot
Flight hours: 3,200
Aircraft flown: F-15E, F-117A and F-111F

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with "V" device
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster

OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2005 Wright Brothers Leadership Award, Air War College

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 28, 1986
First Lieutenant May 28, 1988
Captain May 28, 1990
Major Sept. 1, 1997
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2000
Colonel Feb. 1, 2006
Brigadier General Nov. 15, 2010
Major General July 3, 2014

(Current as of May 2017)