Colonel Steven J. Jantz is the Vice Commander, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing and 435th Air Expeditionary Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. In this capacity, he aids the commander in leading two wings comprised of 5 groups, 20 squadrons and more than 2,300 personnel across 15 installations in Germany, Italy and Africa. These specialized wings provide tactical air control party, battlefield weather, air base opening and operations, command and control, aerial port, aircraft maintenance, security, theater-wide communications, personnel recovery, tactical airlift, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance airmen and capabilities in response to humanitarian and contingency operations throughout the world.
A California native, Colonel Jantz entered the Air Force in 1993 as a distinguished graduate from the United States Air Force Academy. After attending graduate school at the University of Washington, he completed pilot training in 1996. His flying assignments have included duties as an instructor pilot, flight commander, wing standardization and evaluation flight examiner, operations officer, and squadron commander. Colonel Jantz also enjoyed assignments as an air liaison officer, as an Olmsted Scholar, and as an Air Attaché. Colonel Jantz is a command pilot with more than 2,000 flying hours including over 230 F-16 combat hours with tours in Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is married to Rebecca Jantz, and they have three children: Emily, Deborah, and Jonathan.
EDUCATION:
1993 Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, CO
1994 Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Washington, WA
2000 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL
2007 Master of European Studies, University of Tuebingen, Germany
2014 Master of Strategic Studies, Air University, AL
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. 1993 – 1995, Student, Air Force Institute of Technology, University of Washington, WA
2. 1995 – 1996, Student, Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance AFB, OK
3. 1996 – 1997, Student, F-16 Replacement Training Unit, Luke AFB, AZ
4. 1997 – 1999, Assistant Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 13th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
5. 1999 – 2000, Chief of Wing Training, 35th Operations Support Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
6. 2000 – 2002, Air Liaison Officer/Assistant Director of Operations, Fort Irwin, CA
7. 2002 – 2004, Flight Commander/Assistant Director of Operations, 523rd Fighter Squadron, Cannon AFB, NM
8. 2004 – 2005, Student, German Language Course, Defense Language Institute, CA
9. 2005 – 2007, Olmsted Scholar, University of Tuebingen, Germany
10. 2007 – 2009, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, 20th Operations Group, Shaw AFB, SC
11. 2009 – 2011, Director of Operations, 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
12. 2011 – 2013, Commander, 35th Operational Support Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan
13. 2013 – 2015, Student/Faculty, Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
14. 2015 – 2018, Air Attaché, United States Embassy, Budapest, Hungary
15. 2018 – present, Vice Commander, 435th Air Ground Operations Wing and 435th Air Expeditionary Wing, Ramstein AB, Germany
FLIGHT INFORMATION:
Rating: Command Pilot
Flight hours: 2,500
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, F-16, C-12
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Air Medal with oak leaf cluster
Aerial Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Army Achievement Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION:
Second Lieutenant 2 June 1993
First Lieutenant 2 June 1995
Captain 2 June 1997
Major 1 August 2003
Lieutenant Colonel 1 August 2008
Colonel 1 December 2014
(Current as of July 2018)