Maj. Gen. John M. Klein, Jr. is the Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. The Expeditionary Center is the Air Force's preeminent authority for expeditionary operations and supports Air Mobility Command’s worldwide mission of providing rapid global mobility to America’s armed forces. With more than 14,000 Airmen, the Expeditionary Center is comprised of the Air Force Expeditionary Operations School, five AMC wings and two stand-alone groups, including the 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing, the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, the 87th Air Base Wing, the 628th Air Base Wing, the 621st Contingency Response Wing, the 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group, and the 627th Air Base Group. These units span the globe operating 24/7 in 42 locations across 24 countries providing global air mobility support, installation support, contingency response and building partnership capacity.
Maj. Gen. Klein received his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1994. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and is a Command Pilot with more than 3,200 flying hours in the T-37B Tweet, T-38A Talon, C-130E/H Hercules, C-130J Super Hercules, C-5B Galaxy and KC-10A Extender, including 340 combat hours. He has flown in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, and has participated in operations Joint Guard, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Unified Response, Enduring Freedom, Resolute Support, Freedom’s Sentinel, and Inherent Resolve.
Prior to his current position, Maj. Gen. Klein most recently served as the Chief of Staff, Headquarters AMC, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The command plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian support at home and around the world. The men and women of AMC, consisting of active duty, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and civilians, provide airlift, aerial refueling, special air mission, aeromedical evacuation and mobility support. As the air component for the U.S. Transportation Command, AMC directs global air mobility operations in support of national objectives.
EDUCATION
1994 Bachelor of Science, Astronautical Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2000 Squadron Officer School, Distinguished Graduate, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2002 Certificate Degree, Organizational Management, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
2003 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, C-130 Weapons Instructor Course, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 Master of Science, Joint Campaign Planning and Strategy, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2008 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Master of Advanced Studies, International and European Security, European Institute, University of Geneva and Geneva Center for Security Policy, Geneva, Switzerland
2012 Air Force Leadership Development Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2019 Air Force Fellows Program, Council on Foreign Relations, N.Y.
2020 Air Force Leadership Development Program, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2021 Capstone General and Flag Officer Course, National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington D.C.
2022 Air Force Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Va.
2023 Senior Joint Information Operations Applications Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1994–November 1995, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, 88th Flying Training Squadron, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas
2. November 1995–February 1996, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, 49th FTS, Columbus AFB, Miss.
3. February 1996–May 1996, Student, F-15C Flying Training Upgrade, 1st Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
4. May 1996–September 1996, Assistant to the Flight Commander, Current Operations Flight, 325th Operations Support Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
5. September 1996–February 1997, Student, C-130 Flying Training Upgrade, 53rd Airlift Squadron, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
6. February 1997–March 1999, C-130E Copilot, 2nd AS, Pope AFB, N.C.
7. March 1999–July 1999, Student, C-130 Flying Training Upgrade, 53rd AS, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
8. July 1999–May 2001, Instructor Pilot and Chief of Squadron Weapons and Tactics and Chief of Squadron Training, 36th AS, Yokota Air Base, Japan
9. June 2001–July 2002, Air Force Intern, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. July 2002–July 2005, Flight Commander and Chief of Squadron Weapons and Tactics, 50th AS, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
11. July 2005–July 2006, Assistant Operations Officer, 463rd OSS, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
12. July 2006-June 2007, Student, Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
13. June 2007–May 2008, Action Officer, The Joint Staff, Operational Plans and Joint Force Development Directorate, Joint Experimentation, Transformation and Concepts Division, Joint Concepts Branch, Washington, D.C.
14. May 2008–June 2009, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Speechwriter, The Joint Staff, Office of the CJCS, Public Affairs, CJCS Writers Group, Washington, D.C.
15. June 2009–June 2011, Commander, 573rd Global Support Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
16. July 2011–June 2012, Defense Fellow, 26th International Training Course in Security Policy, Geneva Center for Security Policy, Geneva, Switzerland
17. July 2012–July 2013, Vice Commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis AFB, Calif.
18. July 2013–June 2014, Commander, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
19. July 2014–June 2016, Chief, Mobility, Vertical Lift, and Special Operations Requirements Division, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
20. June 2016–July 2018, Commander, 60th AMW, Travis AFB, Calif.
21. August 2018–July 2019, Military Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations, N.Y.
22. August 2019–July 2020, Vice Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
23. August 2020–July 2021, Director, U.S. Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, Southwest Asia
24. August 2021–December 2021, Inspector General, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
25. January 2022–August 2022, Chief of Staff, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
26. August 2022–present, Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2007–May 2008, Action Officer, The Joint Staff, Operational Plans and Joint Force Development Directorate, Joint Experimentation, Transformation and Concepts Division, Washington, D.C., as a major
2. May 2008–June 2009, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Speechwriter, The Joint Staff, Office of the CJCS, Public Affairs, CJCS Writers Group, Washington, D.C., as a lieutenant colonel
3. August 2020–July 2021, Director, U.S. Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operations Center and Deputy Director, USCENTCOM Logistics and Engineering Directorate, Southwest Asia, as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,200 (340 combat hours)
Aircraft Flown: T-41C, T-37B, T-38A, C-130E/H, C-130J, C-5B and KC-10A
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 1, 1994
First Lieutenant June 1, 1996
Captain June 1, 1998
Major Aug. 1, 2004
Lieutenant Colonel June 1, 2008
Colonel July 1, 2012
Brigadier General May 2, 2019
Major General June 24, 2022
(Current as of December 2023)