Brig. Gen. Jonathan W. Graham serves as Director of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. He leads a staff of military and civilians in the annual development of the Air Force’s 30-Year Resource Allocation Plan. Brig. Gen. Graham is also responsible for the development and integration of the Air Force strategy and long-range plans to ensure the Air Force builds and employs effective air, space and cyber forces to achieve national defense objectives.
Brig. Gen. Graham was born in Midwest City, Oklahoma, and received his commission from the United States Air Force Academy in 1999. He has commanded at the squadron and wing levels and has served in a variety of special operations flying and staff assignments with combat experience supporting contingency operations in Africa, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and the Arabian Peninsula.
Prior to his current position, the general he was the Executive Officer to the Commander, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
EDUCATION
1999 Bachelor of Science, History, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Master of Arts, Military Studies, American Military University, W.Va.
2011 Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2012 Master of Philosophy, Military Strategy, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2014 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Master of Science, National Resource Strategy, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2023 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler School of Business, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
2024 Leading Strategically, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. August 1999–July 2000, Squadron Scheduler/Planner, 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan
2. August 2000–April 2001, T-37 Student Pilot, 33rd Flying Training Squadron, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
3. June 2001–December 2001, UH-1H Student Pilot, 23rd Flying Training Squadron, Fort Rucker, Ala.
4. January 2002–November 2002, MH-53 Student Pilot, 551st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
5. December 2002–June 2006, MH-53 Crew Commander and Instructor Pilot, 20th Special Operations Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
6. July 2006–December 2006, Student, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
7. February 2007–February 2008, CV-22 Student Pilot, 71st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
8. March 2008–July 2009, Flight Commander and Chief of Standards/Evaluation, 71st Special Operations Squadron, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
9. August 2009–June 2010, Deputy Chief, Group Standards/Evaluation, 58th Operations Group, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
10. July 2010–June 2011, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
11. July 2011–June 2012, Student, School of Advanced Air and Space Studies, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
12. June 2012–June 2014, Compartmented Planner, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Fort Bragg, N.C.
13. June 2014–January 2016, Operations Officer, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
14. January 2016–June 2017, Commander, 3rd Special Operations Squadron, Cannon AFB, N.M.
15. August 2017–June 2018, Student, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
16. June 2018–June 2019, Planner, Joint Operational War Plans Division, Joint Staff J5, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
17. July 2019–July 2020: Sensitive Activities Division Chief, Deputy Directorate for Special Operations and Counterterrorism, Joint Staff J3, Pentagon, VA
18. July 2020–June 2022, Vice Commander, 27th Special Operations Wing, Cannon AFB, N.M.
19. June 2022–June 2024, Commander, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, N.M.
20. June 2024–June 2026, Executive Officer to the Commander, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
21. June 2026–present, Director of Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2012–June 2014, Compartmented Planner, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, Fort Bragg, N.C., as a major
2. June 2018–June 2019, Planner, Joint Operational War Plans Division, Joint Staff J5, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel
3. July 2019–July 2020, Sensitive Activities Division Chief, Deputy Directorate for Special Operations and Counterterrorism, Joint Staff J3, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
4. September 2020–January 2021, Commander, Joint Special Operations Air Component - Central, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, as a colonel
5. June 2024–June 2026, Executive Officer to the Commander, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,200 including over 400 combat hours and more than 300 combat support hours
Aircraft flown: MQ-9, MQ-1, CV-22, MV-22, MH-53, HC-130, UH-1H, TH-1H, T-37
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal with silver oak leaf clusters
Air Force Combat Action Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 Distinguished Graduate, Undergraduate Pilot Training
2006 Distinguished Graduate, USAF Weapons School
2008 Colonel James Jabara Award for Airmanship
2010 Distinguished Graduate, Air Command and Staff College
2016 General Atomics RPA Squadron of the Year Trophy
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant June 2, 1999
First Lieutenant June 2, 2001
Captain June 2, 2003
Major Feb. 1, 2009
Lieutenant Colonel Dec. 1, 2013
Colonel Jan. 1, 2020
Brigadier General Frocked
(Current as of August 2026)