Lt. Gen. Jason T. Hinds is the Deputy Commander, United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa, headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. As the air component to U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, USAFE-AFAFRICA is responsible for delivering full-spectrum warfighting capabilities to both combatant commanders across an area of responsibility encompassing 104 nations in Europe, Africa, Asia as well as the Arctic and Atlantic regions.
Lt. Gen. Hinds received his commission from Florida State University in 1996. He was a distinguished graduate of Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, in 1997 as well as a distinguished graduate from the F-15 Replacement Training Unit at Tyndall AFB, Florida, in 1998. He has held a variety of flying positions to include 1st Fighter Wing commander, F-22 fighter squadron commander, F-22 instructor pilot and flight examiner, F-15C instructor pilot and weapons officer and U.S. Air Force Weapons School instructor. Additionally, Lt. Gen. Hinds served as the Senior Air Force Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy and Force Development, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. Prior to his current position, Lt. Gen. Hinds was the Director of Operations for U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany.
EDUCATION
1996 Bachelor of Science, Criminology, Florida State University, Tallahassee
2002 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 U.S. Air Force Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
2007 Air Command Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Masters of Business Administration and Management, Trident University, Los Angeles, Calif.
2010 Air Force Legislative Fellowship, Washington, D.C.
2012 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2014 Masters of National Security Strategy, National War College, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 1996–September 1997, Student, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, Vance Air Force Base, Okla.
2. December 1997–June 1998, Student, F-15C Formal Training Unit, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
3. June 1998–May 2001, F-15C Instructor Pilot, 60th Fighter Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla.
4. May 2001–December 2002, F-15C Instructor Pilot, Academic Instructor, 2nd Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
5. January 2003–June 2003, Student, U.S. Air Force F-15C Weapons Instructor Course, Nellis AFB, Nev.
6. June 2003–June 2004, Chief of Weapons and Tactics, 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
7. June 2004–September 2006, Assistant Director of Operations, Flight Commander, F-15C Instructor Pilot, 433rd Weapons Squadron, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, Nellis AFB, Nev.
8. September 2006–December 2006, Student, F-22 Formal Training Unit, 43rd Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
9. December 2006–July 2009, Assistant Director of Operations, Chief of Wing Weapons and Tactics, F-22 instructor pilot, 43rd Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
10. July 2009–December 2010, Air Force Legislative Fellow, Office of Congressman Allen Boyd, Washington, D.C.
11. January 2011–March 2011, Student, F-22 Formal Training Unit, 43rd Fighter Squadron, Tyndall AFB, Fla.
12. April 2011–January 2012, Director of Operations, 27th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
13. February 2012–June 2013, Commander, 94th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
14. July 2013–June 2014, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
15. July 2014–April 2016, Senior Air Force Advisor for Force Development, Office of Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Washington, D.C.
16. May 2016–June 2017, Vice Commander, 57th Wing, Nellis AFB, Nev.
17. June 2017–June 2019, Commander, 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.
18. June 2019–February 2020, Senior Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of the Air Force Headquarters United States Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
19. February 2020–June 2021, Deputy Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration and Air Operations Center Director for USAFE-AFAFRICA, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
20. June 2021–July 2023, Director, Plans, Programs, and Analyses for Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Force Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
21. July 2023–August 2024, Director of Operations, U.S. European Command, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany
22. September 2024–present, Deputy Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa, Ramstein AB, Germany
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2014–April 2016, Senior Air Force Advisor for Force Development, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a colonel
2. July 2023–August 2024, Director of Operations, U.S. European Command, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany, as a major general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Flight hours: more than 2,200
Aircraft flown: T-37, T-38, AT-38B, F-22 and F-15C
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Air and Space Commendation Medal
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award with silver oak leaf cluster and bronze oak leaf
Combat Readiness Medal with oak leaf cluster
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant April 30, 1996
First Lieutenant April 30, 1998
Captain April 30, 2000
Major March 1, 2006
Lieutenant Colonel March 1, 2010
Colonel August 1, 2015
Brigadier General April 15, 2021
Major General December 5, 2023
Lieutenant General August 30, 2024
(Current as of September 2024)