Brig. Gen. Jeffrey T. Geraghty is the Commander, 96th Test Wing, Air Force Materiel Command, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He leads more than 10,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel, in accomplishing the 96th Test Wing’s missions of developmental testing and evaluation of conventional munitions, command and control systems, aircraft avionics and guidance systems, and radar cross section measurement. The 96th Test Wing has eight groups and 32 squadrons, operates 38 uniquely modified test aircraft, and manages 120,000 square miles of over-water test ranges plus facilities in six states. He also directs all base operating support, infrastructure, and services support for the Air Force’s largest installation at 726 square miles. The 96th Test Wing hosts nine tenant wings and wing equivalent units — to include the 33rd Fighter Wing (F-35 Joint Strike Fighter), 53rd Wing (Operational Test), 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, U.S. Army 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Center — and 37 other associate units including the U.S. Army 6th Ranger Training Battalion and the 20th Space Surveillance Squadron. As commander, he interacts with local officials across a three- county, 11-city region with an annual military economic impact of $10.8 billion.
Brig. Gen. Geraghty earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy, and later served as an F-15E pilot in operations Northern Watch and Iraqi Freedom, an F-15/F-16 test pilot, a staff officer in numerous agencies, and a program manager. He completed fellowships at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as a Service Chiefs Fellow and at SpaceX as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow. Previously a commander at the squadron, group, and complex level, he comes to Eglin after successful command of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex headquartered at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, Biology, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
1998 Master of Science, Genetics, The Pennsylvania State University
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Congressional Operations Seminar for NASA, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2007 Master of Flight Test Engineering, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
2010 Master of Military Arts and Sciences, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2011 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Service Chiefs' Fellow, Arlington, Va.
2013 Doctor of Philosophy, Strategy, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1997–July 1998, Graduate Student, Genetics, The Pennsylvania State University
2. August 1998–October 1999, Student Pilot, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
3. October 1999–November 2000, F-15E Student, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
4. November 2000–March 2003, F-15E Pilot, Scheduling and Weapons Officer, 492nd Fighter Squadron, Royal Air Force Base Lakenheath, United Kingdom
5. March 2003–December 2004, Air Force Intern (NASA, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Air Force Operations Group, Secretary of the Air Force/Chief of Staff of the Air Force Action Group), the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. January 2005–June 2006, F-15E Pilot, Chief of Scheduling, Assistant Director of Operations, 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C.
7. June 2006–June 2007, Student Test Pilot, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, Calif.
8. June 2007–June 2009, F-15 and F-16 Test Pilot, Flight Commander, Weapons Officer, 40th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
9. June 2009–June 2010, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
10. June 2010–January 2012, Deputy Chief of Strategic Engagement, Air Force/A8XS, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
11. January 2012–June 2014, Current Requirements Lead, F-35 JPO/ASR, Arlington, Va.
12. June 2014–June 2015, Commander, 412th Operations Support Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif.
13. June 2015–June 2016, Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow, SpaceX, Hawthorne, Calif.
14. June 2016–June 2019, Commander, 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
15. June 2019–June 2022, Commander, Arnold Engineering Development Complex, Arnold AFB, Tenn.
16. June 2022–present, Commander, 96th Test Wing, Eglin AFB, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 1,900 including 290 combat hours
Aircraft flown: 50 different aircraft types, including the F-15C-E, F-16A-D, Mirage-2000, F/A-18, F-4, MiG-15, TH-57, D-140, Dauphin, CES-310, Alphajet, UH-1, A-10, T-6,T-6II, AN-2, T-38A-C, HH-60, G-103, TG-9-10, P-3, Goodyear Blimp, T-1, LJ-24, T-43, C-12C-J, T-37, Stinson 108, KC-135, T-3, AC-208, EC-130H, RC-135, and U-28
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
(Current as of June 2024)