MAJOR GENERAL JON S. SAFSTROM
Retired
Maj. Gen. Jon S. Safstrom served as the Special Assistant to the Combatant Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), for Reserve Matters, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, where he advised on all policies and programs relating to the Reserve Forces. He assisted the Commander to organize, equip, and operate air defense forces for North America, including the three distinct mission sets: Aerospace Warning, Aerospace Control, and Maritime Warning. He also assisted the Commander to deter, detect, deny and if required, defeat threats to the United States while providing support to civil authorities. Additionally, he served as a NORAD and USNORTHCOM Assessor/Authority, executing delegated duties assigned by the Commander of NORAD and USNORTHCOM, in response to homeland activities.
General Safstrom earned his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps upon graduation from the University of Colorado. After ten years of active service in the U.S. Navy, he joined the Minnesota Air National Guard, where he has commanded at the squadron, group and wing level. General Safstrom is a command pilot with over 3,700 flight hours, primarily in the F-16 and F/A-18, to include more than 300 hours in combat and over 300 carrier-arrested landings. He has deployed multiple times throughout his career in support of Operation’s RESTORE HOPE, SOUTHERN WATCH, NOBLE EAGLE and IRAQI FREEDOM.
Prior to assuming his position, the general served as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander, Continental United States NORAD Region and First Air Force (AFNORTH & AFSPACE).
EDUCATION
1988 Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder
2005 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., by correspondence
2010 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Level IV Anti-Terrorism Executive Training, McLean, Va.
2015 National Security Management Fellow, Maxwell School, Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
2018 Dual Status Commander Course, NORAD/NORTHCOM, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2018 Joint Task Force Commander Training Course, NORAD/NORTHCOM, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2018 Senior Leader Orientation Course, Joint Base Andrews, Md. & JB San Antonio-Lackland, Texas
2019 Regional Studies Seminar – Mid-East Asia, Washington, D.C.
2022 Combined Forces Air Component Commander Course, Air University, Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2022 General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Seminar, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2023 Regional Studies Seminar – Latin America, Washington, D.C.
2023 Advanced Senior Leader Development Seminar, Warrenton, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. December 1988 - April 1989, Aviation Preflight Indoctrination, Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla.
2. April 1989 - November 1989, Primary Flight Training, VT-6, NAS Whiting Field, Fla.
3. November 1989 - August 1991, Intermediate and Advanced Jet, VT-19/7, NAS Meridian, Miss.
4. August 1991 - October 1992, F/A-18 Fleet Replacement Training, VMFAT-101, MCAS El Toro, Calif.
5. October 1992 - March 1996, F/A-18 Instructor Pilot, Operations Officer, VFA-27, NAS Lemoore, Calif.
6. March 1996 - November 1996, F/A-18 and F-5 Aggressor Pilot, Training Officer, VFA-127, NAS Fallon, Nev.
7. November 1996 - January 1997, Adversary Instructor Course, Navy Fighter Weapons School, NAS Fallon, Nev.
8. January 1997 - September 1998, Adversary Instructor, Standardization Officer, VFC-13, NAS Fallon, Nev.
9. September 1998 - August 2007, Flight Commander, Aerospace Control Alert Pilot, 179th FS, Duluth, Minn.
10. August 2007 - September 2010, Operations Support Squadron Commander, 148th Operations Group, Duluth, Minn.
11. September 2010 - October 2015, Vice Commander and HQ Group Commander, 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth, Minn.
12. October 2015 - December 2017, Commander, 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth, Minn.
13. December 2017 - September 2021, Assistant Adjutant General, Joint Forces Headquarters, Saint Paul, Minn.
14. January 2019 - September 2021, Dual-Hatted as Director, Air National Guard Commander Leadership Course
15. October 2021 - April 2023, Air National Guard Assistant to Commander, CONR-1AF, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
16. May 2023 - September 2024, Special Assistant to the Commander for Reserve Matters, NORAD & USNORTHCOM, Peterson SFB, Colorado Springs, Colo.
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 3,700
Aircraft flown: T-34C, T-2, A-4, F/A-18, F-5, F-16 (Block 15/25/50)
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Navy Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Award with one oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with three oak leaf clusters
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Navy Battle Efficiency Ribbon
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec. 23, 1988
First Lieutenant Jan. 1, 1990
Captain Jan. 1, 1993
Major Jan. 1, 2000
Lieutenant Colonel Jan. 1, 2007
Colonel Jan. 1, 2013
Brigadier General Dec. 3, 2017
Major General Oct. 1, 2021
(Current as of November 2024)
