MAJOR GENERAL GREGORY F. JONES
Maj. Gen. Gregory F. Jones is the Chief of Staff, and also serves as the Commander, California Air National Guard. In these roles, he is the primary advisor to The Adjutant General on all programs, strategic planning, and operations affecting the California Air National Guard. He is responsible for the mission readiness and operational effectiveness across a broad spectrum of programs and activities involving five wings and over 4900 military and civilian personnel serving at ten locations within California. In this role, General Jones oversees development of operationally trained, equipped, and mission ready forces in support of national defense requirements and emergency response, relief, and recovery operations throughout California.
General Jones began his career as a jet engine mechanic in the Nevada Air National Guard prior to attending the Academy of Military Science and earning a commission in the California Air National Guard. General Jones served in various command positions at the 146th Airlift Wing at both the squadron and group level. He deployed as a crewmember in support of Operations DESERT SHIELD, NOBLE EAGLE, and JOINT FORCE. In 2011, he deployed in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and NEW DAWN as the forward Senior Air Reserve Component Advisor to the Commander, United States Air Forces Central Command. Most recently, he deployed in support of Operations INHERENT RESOLVE and FREEDOM SENTINEL as the Director of Mobility Forces, United States Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia. As Commander of the 129th Rescue Wing, General Jones maintained the mission readiness of 970 Airmen, four MC-130P Combat Shadow aircraft and five HH-60G Pavehawk helicopters in support of both global and homeland taskings. Prior to his current assignment, he was dual-hatted as the Assistant Adjutant General-Air, California Air National Guard Sacramento, California, and as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Director of Operations, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Illinois.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.
1993 United States Navy, Test Pilot School, Patuxent River, Md.
1995 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2000 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2006 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Commanders Development Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
2010 Senior Leadership Maintenance Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2010 United States Air Force Safety Center Investigation Board President Course, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Master of Arts in Management and Leadership, Webster University, Saint Louis, Missouri
2014 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort McNair, D.C.
2015 Joint Task Force Commanders Training Course, Peterson AFB, Colo.
2016 Dual Status Commanders Course (NORTHCOM), Peterson AFB, Colo.
2016 Joint & Combined Warfighting School (JCWS) JPME-II, Norfolk, Va.
2017 Director of Mobility Forces (DM4), Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2020 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1987 - July 1988, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Williams AFB, Ariz.
2. July 1988 - July 1992, C-130 Copilot, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Calif., (January 1991 -February 1991, Deployed Aircrew, United States Central Command Air Forces, RAF Mildenhall, England)
3. July 1992 - February 1996, C-130 Aircraft Commander, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
4. February 1996 - December 2001, C-130 Instructor Pilot, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
5. December 2001 - February 2005, C-130 Evaluator Pilot, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
6. February 2005 - February 2006, Chief of Standardization / Evaluation, 146th Operations Group, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.,
7. February 2005 - April 2005, Deployed Aircrew, United States Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
8. February 2006 - October 2007, Operations Officer, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
9. October 2007 - August 2008, Commander, 115th Airlift Squadron, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif.
10. August 2008 - March 2012, Commander, 146th Operations Group, Channel Islands ANGS, Calif. (December 2010 - June 2011, Senior Air Reserve Component Advisor, United States Air Forces Central Command, Al Udeid AB, Qatar)
11. March 2012 - February 2014, - Deputy Director, NGB/A3, ANG, Andrews AFB, Md.
12. February 2014 - July 2014, Department of Defense Liaison to National Science Foundation, Ballston, Va.
13. July 2014 - September 2016, Commander, 129th Rescue Wing, Moffett ANG Base, Calif.
14. October 2016 - June 2017, Assistant Adjutant General, Sacramento, Calif.
15. June 2017 - December 2017, AFCENT Dir of Mob for Deployment (DIRMOBFOR), Wash., D.C.
16. December 2017 - April 2019, Assistant Adjutant General, Sacramento, Calif.; dual-hatted, December 2017 – August 2019, Air National Guard Assistant to the Director of Operations, Air Mobility Command (AMC/A3), Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
17. October 2019 - Present, Chief of Staff, Sacramento, Calif.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: More than 6000
Aircraft flown: C-130E, C-130J, C-17, HH-60G, MC-130P
Pilot wings: Williams Air Force Base, Arizona
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant July 9, 1987
First Lieutenant July 9, 1989
Captain July 14, 1991
Major Oct. 1, 1998
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 6, 2002
Colonel June 19, 2009
Brigadier General Oct. 1, 2016
Major General April 9, 2019
(Current as of January 2021)
