Brig. Gen. John B. Creel is the Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force (NISRF), stationed at the Italian Air Base, Sigonella, Italy. NISRF operates the RQ-4D unmanned aircraft and conducts unified intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations in support of NATO and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
Brig. Gen. Creel began his military career in 1985 as an enlisted helicopter mechanic in the Army. He then attended helicopter flight training and flew the UH-60 Black Hawk as a warrant officer. After 15 years, he separated from the Army, joined the Air Force and graduated Officer Training School in 2000. He has commanded at the squadron, group, wing and joint force commands. Brig. Gen. Creel’s operational tours include operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Joint Endeavor, Joint Guard, Northern Watch, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. He holds an undergraduate degree in professional aeronautics, two graduate degrees in Business Aviation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a third graduate degree in Strategic Studies from the Marine Corps War College. Prior to his current position, Brig. Gen. Creel served as the Deputy Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
EDUCATION
1985 Army Basic Training, Fort Knox, Ky.
1986 Army UH-1 Helicopter Maintenance Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
1986 Mississippi Army National Guard CH-54 Helicopter Maintenance Course, Meridian, Miss.
1987 Army Warrant Officer Entry Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
1988 Army Initial Entry Rotary Wing Aviator Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
1992 Army Air Assault School, Fort Campbell, Ky.
1993 Army UH-60 Instructor Pilot Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
1995 Army Instrument Flight Examiner Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
1997 Army Warrant Officer Advanced Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
1999 Bachelor’s, Professional Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Extended Campus
2000 Master of Business Administration in Aviation, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Extended Campus
2000 Air Force Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2002 Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2006 Master of Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Extended Campus
2008 Air Force Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Air Force Strategic Policy Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2012 Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2018 Marine Corps War College, Quantico, Va.
2018 Master of Strategic Studies, Marine Corps War College, Quantico, Va.
2020 Air Force Enterprise Leadership Seminar, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
2023 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2024 Leading Data and AI-Enabled Organizations, John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md.
2025 Capstone Class 25-3, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1985–June 1987, Helicopter Mechanic, 2348th Heavy Lift Helicopter Company, Meridian, Miss.
2. July 1987–August 1987, Candidate, Warrant Officer Candidate School, Fort Rucker, Ala.
3. September 1987–June 1988, Student, Initial Entry Rotary Wing Aviator Course, Fort Rucker, Ala.
4. June 1988–August 1989, UH-1 Pilot, 2348th Heavy Lift Helicopter Company, Meridian, Miss.
5. September 1989–May 1993, UH-60 Flight Lead, C/5-101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Ky.
6. August 1993–September 1994, UH-60 Instructor Pilot, HHC/6-6th Cavalry Squadron, Illesheim, Germany
7. October 1994–June 1997, UH-60 Standardization Officer and Instrument Flight Examiner, A/158th Aviation, Wiesbaden, Germany
8. July 1997–June 1998, UH-60 Instructor Pilot Course Section Leader, C/212th Aviation Regiment, Fort Rucker, Ala.
9. July 1998–July 2000, UH-60 Standardization Officer and Instrument Flight Examiner, Aviation Training Brigade, Fort Rucker, Ala.
10. July 2000–September 2000, Officer Trainee, Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
11. October 2000–June 2002, Plans Officer, 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
12. December 2002–June 2005, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
13. June 2005–April 2010, Student Flight Commander, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
14. April 2010–December 2010, J3 Air, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan, Kabul
15. December 2010–May 2011, Executive Officer to the Commanding General, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan, Kabul
16. July 2011–June 2012, Fellow, Air Force Strategic Policy, Air Education and Training Command, Washington, D.C.
17. June 2012–March 2013, Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands, Air Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
18. March 2013–June 2013, Liaison Officer, Presidential Information Coordination Center, Presidential Palace and Headquarters International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan
19. July 2013–October 2014, Director of Operations, 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
20. October 2014–June 2015, Director of Operations, 347th Operational Support Squadron, Moody AFB, Ga.
21. June 2015–July 2017, Commander, 34th Weapons Squadron, Nellis AFB, Nev.
22. June 2017–July 2018, Student, Marine Corps War College, Quantico, Va.
23. July 2018–July 2020, Commander, 347th Rescue Group, Moody AFB, Ga.
24. July 2020–July 2021, Commander, 39th Air Base Wing, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey
25. August 2021–July 2022, Executive Officer to Supreme Allied Command Europe, Commander U.S. European Command, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Brussels, Belgium
26. August 2022–June 2023, Senior Special Assistant to Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Brussels, Belgium
27. July 2023–June 2025, Deputy Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.
28. June 2025–present, Commander, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance Force (NISRF), Sigonella AB, Italy
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. April 2010–December 2010, J3 Air, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan, Kabul, as a major
2. December 2010–May 2011, Executive Officer to the Commanding General, Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command-Afghanistan, Kabul, as a major
3. June 2012–March 2013, Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands, Air Staff, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a major
4. March 2013–June 2013, Liaison Officer, Presidential Information Coordination Center, Presidential Palace and Headquarters International Security Assistance Force, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a major
5. August 2021–July 2022, Executive Officer to Supreme Allied Command Europe, Commander U.S. European Command, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Brussels, Belgium, as a colonel
6. August 2022–June 2023, Senior Special Assistant to Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Brussels, Belgium, as a colonel
7. June 2025-present, Commander, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Intelligence, Surveillance, & Reconnaissance Force (NISRF), Sigonella AB, Italy as a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight Hours: more than 7,500 hours
Aircraft Flown: TH-55, UH-1H, UH-60A/L and HH-60G
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor Device with two oak leaf clusters
Bronze Star Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with six oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with eleven oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal
Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2004 Clarence H. Mackay Trophy
2004 Air Rescue Association Richard T. Kight Award
(Current as of August 2025)