Brig. Gen. Joshua (Josh) M. Olson is the Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He leads a staff of military and civilians in the development, integration, evaluation and analysis of the Air Force programs, across the Future Years Defense Program and maintains the integrity and discipline of the Air Force corporate structure process.
Brig. Gen. Olson entered the Air Force through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program as an honors graduate from Michigan Technological University. The general has commanded at every level. His first command was as the Commander of the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He later served in Southwest Asia as the Vice Commander of the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, then the Commander of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas and the 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany.
Brig. Gen. Olson is a command pilot with over 3,200 flight hours. He has held several key positions, including Director of Global Reach Programs for the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; Chief of the U.S. Transportation Command Global Operations Center and most recently, Deputy Commander for the Integrated Capabilities Command (Provisional).
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton
2001 Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2005 Master of Arts, Education and Administration, Chapman University, Fairfield, Calif.
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Air Force Fellow, Strategic Policy Intern, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
2010 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2013 Executive Business Training, Darden Graduate School of Business, University of Virginia
2013 Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellowship, 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.
2014 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2018 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Raleigh
2019 Leadership Decision Making, Harvard University, Boston, Mass.
2021 NATO General Officer Flag Officer Ambassador Course, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Defense College, Rome, Italy
2023 CAPSTONE 23-3, National Defense University, Washington, D.C.
2025 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Air University, Montgomery, Ala.
2025 Disruptive Technology Course for Senior Leaders, National Intelligence University, Bethesda, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1997–September 2000, Acquisition Manager, MC-130H Combat Talon II, Wright- Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2. September 2000–September 2001, Student/Class Leader, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin AFB, Texas
3. September 2001–September 2005, Wing Executive Officer, KC-10 Instructor Pilot, Flight Commander, Training Officer, 60th Air Mobility Wing and 6th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis AFB, Calif.
4. September 2005–April 2006, Student, C-130 Formal Training Unit, Little Rock AFB, Ark.
5. April 2006–April 2008, Assistant Operations Officer and C-130E/H Evaluator Pilot, 41st and 2nd Airlift Squadrons, Pope AFB, N.C.
6. April 2008–July 2009, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Eighteenth Air Force, Scott AFB, Ill.
7. July 2009–July 2010, Strategic Policy Intern, Air Force Fellows Program, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
8. July 2010–August 2011, Chief, Strategic Airlift Requirements, Office of Air Force Reserve, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
9. September 2011–June 2013, Commander, 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
10. June 2013–August 2014, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.
11. August 2014–June 2016, Deputy Director, Program Management Activities, J7 Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. June 2016–July 2017, Vice Commander, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia
13. July 2017–July 2019, Commander, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell AFB, Kan.
14. July 2019–August 2020, Executive Officer to the Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
15. August 2020–July 2022, Commander, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
16. July 2022–May 2024, Director Global Reach Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. June 2024–June 2025, Chief Global Operations Center, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
18. June 2025-February 2026, Deputy Commander, Integrated Capabilities Command (Provisional), Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. February 2026-present, Director of Programs, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 2014–June 2016, Deputy Director, Program Management Activities, J7 Joint Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
2. July 2019–August 2020, Executive Officer to the Commander, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., as a colonel
3. June 2024–June 2025, Chief Global Operations Center, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, Ill., as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: over 3,200
Aircraft flown: KC-46A, KC-135, C-130J, KC-10A, C-130E/H, T-1A and T-37B
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2019 General Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award, Air Mobility Command
2022 Commander in Chief’s Installation Excellence Award
2022 U.S. Air Force Jerome F. O’Malley Award (wing commander and spouse)
(Current as of February 2026)