Maj. Gen. Scott J. Zobrist is the Commander, 9th Air Force, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Ninth Air Force organizes, trains and equips its headquarters to be a deployable, operational-level Joint Task Force, and its subordinate commands to prepare for and execute expeditionary taskings. Additionally, Ninth Air Force commands eight wings and three direct reporting units in the Southeastern U.S., ensuring the operational readiness of more than 400 aircraft and 29,000 active duty and civilian members.
General Zobrist earned his commission in 1986 as a distinguished graduate of the University of Southern California's ROTC program. In 1987, he was a distinguished graduate from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard AFB, Texas, and was assigned to fly the F-16. He has flown the F-16 at five operational bases in the U.S. and Europe. His combat experience includes Operation Deliberate Force over Bosnia where he served as mission commander of NATO's first mission of the operation. He also deployed as the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom and as the Deputy Director, Air Component Coordination Element, Combined Joint Task Force-82 and Vice Commander, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing during Operation Enduring Freedom. Prior to his current assignment, he served as the Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, and Deputy Commander, Combined Force Air Component and was responsible for the command and control of air operations in a 20-nation area of responsibility covering Central and Southwest Asia, to include Operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan and Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria.
General Zobrist has held staff positions at the Air Staff, Air Combat Command, U.S. Forces Japan, and Ninth Air Force. He has commanded two fighter wings and is a command pilot with more than 2,500 flying hours.
EDUCATION
1986 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
1991 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
1994 Master of Public Administration, Troy State University, Troy, Ala. 1998 Distinguished graduate, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 Distinguished graduate, Master of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
2010 Senior Executive Fellows Program, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2012 Combined/Joint Force Land Component Commander Course, Carlisle Barracks, Pa. 2013 Combined Force Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. November 1986 - December 1987, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
2. March 1988 - May 1988, Student, Lead-in Fighter Training, 433rd Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Holloman AFB, N.M.
3. June 1988 - February 1989, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, 310th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron and 312th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
4. April 1989 - February 1991, Plans Officer and Life Support Officer, 313th Tactical Fighter Squadron, then Standardization and Evaluation Liaison Officer, 496th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Hahn Air Base, Germany
5. May 1991 - August 1992, Assistant Weapons Officer, 309th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Homestead AFB, Fla.
6. August 1992 - June 1994, Chief of Weapons, 79th Fighter Squadron, then Aide to the Commander, 9th Air Force/U.S. Central Command Air Forces, Shaw AFB, S.C.
7. July 1994 - December 1994, Student, Fighter Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. January 1995 - July 1997, Weapons Officer, then Assistant Operations Officer, 510th Fighter Squadron, Aviano AB, Italy
9. August 1997 - June 1998, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. July 1998 - February 1999, Program Element Monitor, Directorate of Special Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
11. February 1999 - June 2000, Action Officer, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Action Group, Headquarters
U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
12. September 2000 - January 2002, Assistant Operations Officer, then Operations Officer, 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
13. February 2002 - July 2003, Commander, 421st Fighter Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
14. August 2003 - June 2004, Student, Naval War College, Newport, R.I.
15. July 2004 - May 2005, Chief, Programs Division, Plans and Programs Directorate, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, Va.
16. June 2005 - June 2007, Commander, 31st Operations Group, Aviano AB, Italy
17. July 2007 - May 2009, Director of Operations (J3), U.S. Forces Japan, Yokota AB, Japan
18. June 2009 - April 2011, Commander, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill AFB, Utah
19. April 2011 - May 2013, Commander, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano AB, Italy
20. May 2013 - April 2015, Director, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
21. April 2015 - April 2016, Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, and Deputy Commander, Combined Force Air Component, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
22. May 2016 – Present, Commander, 9th Air Force, Shaw AFB, S.C.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2007 - May 2007, Deputy Director, Air Component Coordination Element (ACCE), Combined Joint Task Force-82, and Vice Commander, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, as a colonel
2. July 2007 - May 2009, Director of Operations (J3), U.S. Forces Japan, Yokota AB, Japan, as a colonel
3. April 2015 - April 2016, Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, and Deputy Commander, Combined Force Air Component, Al Udeid AB, Qatar, as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,500
Aircraft flown: F-16 A/B/C/D/CJ/CG/CM, T-37 and T-38
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Aug. 11, 1986
First Lieutenant Aug. 11, 1988
Captain Aug. 11, 1990
Major Aug. 1, 1996
Lieutenant Colonel May 1, 2000
Colonel July 1, 2005
Brigadier General May 6, 2011
Major General May 2, 2014
(Current as of October 2019)