Brig. Gen. Nathan L. Owendoff is the Director, Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Florida. He is responsible for planning and programming a $4.4 billion annual budget to ensure resourcing for more than 20,800 air commandos supporting global U.S. Special Operations Command missions. He is also responsible for functions related to Air Force Special Operations Forces weapons systems acquisition, modernization, sustainment and testing.
Brig. Gen. Owendoff received his commission in 1996 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has commanded special operations forces in garrison and combat, from squadron to wing echelons, and executed multiple deployments in support of operations in the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility. Prior to this assignment, Brig. Gen. Owendoff was the Chief of Staff, Air Force Special Operations Command.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 2001 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2001 Master of Business Administration, University of Nebraska
2006 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence 2008 Master of Arts in Security Studies, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2016 Master of Science in National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2022 Combined/Joint Force Special Operations Component Commander Course, MacDill AFB, Fla.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 1996–March 1997, Administration Assistant, Department of Athletics, U.S. Air Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2. April 1997–May 1998, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas
3. June 1998–June 2001, Chief of Training and Standardization/Evaluation Pilot, 311th Airlift Flight, Offutt AFB, Neb.
4. August 2001–June 2004, Flight Commander and Standardization/Evaluation Pilot, 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron, Davis- Monthan AFB, Ariz.
5. July 2004–August 2007, Flight Commander and Instructor Pilot, Air Force Special Operations Squadron
6. September 2007–December 2008, Student, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
7. December 2008–December 2010, Deputy Director, Counterterrorism Policy, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
8. January 2011–July 2011, Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
9. August 2011–Jun 2013, Director of Operations, Air Force Special Operations Squadron
10. July 2013–July 2015, Commander, Air Force Special Operations Squadron
11. August 2015–June 2016, Student, Eisenhower School, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
12. July 2016–June 2018, Chief, Joint Operations Coordination Element, United States Forces Korea/Combined Forces Command/United Nations Command, United States Army Garrison, Yongsan, South Korea
13. July 2018–August 2020, Vice Wing Commander, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon AFB, N.M.
14. September 2020–June 2022, Commander, 352nd Special Operations Wing, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom
15. July 2022–July 2023, Chief of Staff, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
16. August 2023–present, Director, Strategic Plans, Programs, Requirements, Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 2008–July 2011, Deputy Director, Counterterrorism Policy and Military Assistant, Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., as a major and lieutenant colonel
2. July 2016–June 2018, Chief, Joint Operations Coordination Element, United States Forces Korea/Combined Forces Command/United Nations Command, South Korea, as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
3. March 2019–July 2019 and February 2020 – June 2020, Commander, Joint Special Operations Air Component Central, Special Operations Command Central, United States Central Command, as a colonel
4. September 2020–June 2022, Commander, Joint Special Operations Air Component Europe, Special Operations Command Europe, United States European Command, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: 4,600
Aircraft flown: multiple aircraft
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
(Current as of November 2023)