Col Jack Johnson is Commander of the 179th Cyberspace Wing (CW) in Mansfield, Ohio. The 179 CW is comprised of approximately 1,000 personnel who operate and support the mission of the Air National Guard's first Cyberspace Wing.
Col Johnson entered the Air Force through Officer Training School in September 2000 as a Communications and Information Electrical Engineer. After training, he was assigned as a Radar Evaluation Engineer in the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron at Hill AFB, Utah. Following that assignment, he served as a Crew Commander at the Air Mobility Command Network Operations and Security Center, Scott AFB, Illinois, and as the Engineering and Support Flight Commander at the 5th Combat Communications Support Squadron, Robins AFB, Georgia. Col Johnson left active duty in July 2007 and in 2009 joined the USAF Reserves and the 505th Communications Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Florida, as the Assistant Operations Officer. In September of 2011, he became the Cyber Systems Manager for the 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron, Georgia Air National Guard. Col Johnson then transferred to the 142d Communications Flight in January 2013. In May of 2017 Col Johnson moved to the Air National Guard Readiness Center holding a variety of positions, culminating as the Air National Guard’s Director of Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Cyber Effects Operations, NGB A2/6.
Col Johnson has deployed in support of contingency operations multiple times throughout his career. In 2003, he deployed to Djibouti as part of the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa staff for Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2006, he deployed to Iraq supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2011, as a Department of Navy federal civilian, he deployed to Afghanistan as part of Combined Forces Special Operations Component Command – Afghanistan, receiving the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award and the Global War on Terrorism Civilian Service Medal. Prior to his current assignment the Colonel was the Commander of the 252d Cyberspace Operations Group, JB Lewis-McChord, Wash.
EDUCATION
2000 Bachelor of Science Degree, Electrical Engineering, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore.
2005 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Executive Master of Business Administration, Colorado Technical University, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2010 Systems Engineer Level I, Defense Acquisition University
2012 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Systems Engineer Level II, Defense Acquisition University
2014 Cyber 300, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
2016 Squadron Commander Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2017 Air War College Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2018 Reserve Component National Security Course, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
2018 Cyber 400, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
2020 Master of Science, Government Information Leadership, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Washington D.C.
2020 Joint and Combined Warfighting School - Hybrid, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2023 Enterprise Leadership Program, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2024 Leading Data & AI-Enabled Organizations, Johns Hopkins University, Md.
ASSIGNMENTS
- July 2000 – September 2000, Trainee, Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
- October 2000 – February 2001, Student, Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, Miss.
- March 2001 – October 2002, Radar Evaluation Engineer, 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron, Hill AFB, Utah
- November 2002 – November 2005, Crew Commander, Air Mobility Command Network Operations and Security Center, 868th Communications Squadron, Scott AFB, Ill. (December 2003 – April 2004, J6 Operations Officer, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, Djibouti)
- November 2005 – July 2007, Flight Commander, 5th Combat Communications Support Squadron, 5th Combat Communications Group, Robins AFB, Ga. (June – October 2006, Team Lead, Radio Over Internet Protocol Routed Network OIF Installation Team, Iraq)
- July 2007 – July 2009, Inactive Ready Reserve
- July 2009 – September 2011, Assistant Operations Officer, 505th Communications Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
- September 2011 – December 2012, Cyber Support Systems Manager, 224th Joint Communications Support Squadron, Brunswick, Ga.
- January 2013 – April 2017, Commander, 142d Communications Flight, Portland Air National Guard Base, Ore.
- May 2017 – April 2021, Fixed Communications Branch Chief, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
- May – December 2021, Cyberspace Forces Division Chief, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
- January 2022 – August 2023, Deputy Director of Cyber Effects Operations, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
- September 2023 – May 2024, Director of Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Cyber Effects Operations, NGB A2/6, Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
- June 2024 – May 2026, Commander, 252d Cyberspace Operations Group, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
- June 2026 – Present, Commander, 179th Cyberspace Wing, Mansfield Air National Guard Base, Ohio.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Washington State Legion of Merit
Oregon Commendation Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant September 29, 2000
First Lieutenant September 29, 2002
Captain September 29, 2004
Major June 1, 2010
Lieutenant Colonel July 6, 2016
Colonel May 1, 2021
(Current as of June 2026)