Brig. Gen. Joshua Padgett is the Reserve Deputy Director of the J3 at U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Florida. The SOUTHCOM J3 directorate is responsible for the joint and combined full-spectrum military operations and supported government efforts to enhance regional security and cooperation in Central and South America and the Caribbean Basin.
Brig. Gen. Padgett earned a Mechanical Engineering degree as a magna cum laude graduate from the University of Arkansas in 1997. He received his commission as a Distinguished Graduate of the ROTC program. Following that, he graduated from the Euro-Nato Joint Jet Pilot Training program at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. Brig. Gen. Padgett is a 2004 Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, where he received the Robbie Risner Award as the overall top-performing graduate.
He has held a variety of positions as an F-16 pilot including as a weapons officer and director of operations. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing level and served on the Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters Staff as Director of the Commander’s Action Group. Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. Padgett was the Commander, 482nd Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida.
Brig. Gen. Padgett is a command pilot with over 3,400 hours in the F-16 as an instructor, evaluator and mission commander. He has participated in multiple combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan during numerous operations including Soutern Watch twice, Iraqi Freedom twice, Enduring Freedom, Freedom’s Sentinel and Resolute Support.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
2001 U.S. Air Force Fighter Electronic Combat Officer Course, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2004 U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2009 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Master of Arts, Leadership, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Va.
2015 Reserve Component National Security Course
2016 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2023 Latin and South America Regional Studies Course, Washington, D.C.
2023 Wing Executive Response Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2023 Senior Leader Mission Generation Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2024 Leadership Decision Making, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2024 Leading Data and AI-enabled Organizations, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1997–December 1997, Mobility Officer, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
2. December 1997–April 1999, Student, Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. April 1999–June 1999, Student, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, Randolph AFB, Texas
4. June 1999–April 2000, Student, F-16 Formal Training Unit, 62nd Fighter Squadron, Luke AFB, Ariz.
5. April 2000–March 2003, Assistant Weapons Officer, F-16 Instructor, Flight Commander, 524th Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
6. March 2003–July 2005, Chief of Standardizations and Evaluations, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Weapons and Intelligence Flight Commander, 36th Fighter Squadron, Osan Air Base, South Korea
7. July 2005–February 2007, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Wing Scheduling, 16th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. February 2007–August 2014, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, Chief of Training, Flight Commander, 457th Fighter Squadron, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas
9. August 2014–October 2015, Wing Director of Inspections, 301st Fighter Wing, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
10. October 2015–July 2017, Director of Operations, 457th Fighter Squadron, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
11. July 2017–October 2019, Commander, 457th Fighter Squadron, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
12. October 2019–June 2021, Commander, 301st Operations Group, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
13. June 2021–July 2022, Director, Commander’s Action Group, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Center, Robins AFB, Ga.
14. July 2022–December 2022, Special Assistant to the Tenth AF Commander, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.
15. December 2022–June 2024, Commander, 482nd Fighter Wing, Homestead ARB, Fla.
16. June 2024–present, Deputy Director of Operations, U.S. Southern Command, Miami, Fla.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,600
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
(Current as of July 2024)