Maj. Gen. Jay D. Jensen is the Special Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. He assists the Commander in leading the daily operations of the command, consisting of 70,300 Reserve Airmen and more than 300 aircraft among three numbered Air Forces, 34 flying wings, 10 flying groups, a space wing, a cyber wing and an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance wing. The Air Force Reserve Command supports the Air Force mission to defend the United States through control and exploitation of air, space and cyberspace by supporting global engagement. AFRC plays an integral role in the day-to-day operations of the U.S. Air Force.
Maj. Gen. Jensen was commissioned in 1987 as a graduate of Air Force Officer Training School. He earned his navigator wings in 1988 and pilot wings as a distinguished graduate in 1992 and has held positions as C-130J Deputy Test Director and Office of the Secretary of Defense policy advisor. Maj. Gen. Jensen has commanded two operation groups and two wings supporting weather reconnaissance, tactical and strategic airlift. Additionally he deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as Deputy Director of Mobility Forces, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, Southwest Asia.
Prior to his current assignment, Maj. Gen. Jensen was the Director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements, Air Force Reserve Command, where he was responsible for planning and programming more than 5.8 billion dollars annually for a force of 800 total organizations. He is a command pilot with more than 6,500 flying hours in multiple airlift and reconnaissance collections platforms.
EDUCATION
1987 Bachelor of Arts, Accounting/Management, Peru State College, Peru, Neb.
1994 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2004 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2007 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2008 Reserve Component National Security Course, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2010 Space Operations Executive Course, Schriever AFB, Colo.
2011 Director of Mobility Forces Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2012 AFFOR Senior Staff Officer Course, Hurlburt Field, Fla.
2014 Master of Arts degree with honors, National Security Studies, American Military University, Charlestown, W. Va.
2017 Joint and Combined Warfighter School-H, Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2019 CAPSTONE, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. October 1983-August 1987, Continuous Photoprocessing Specialist/Quality Assurance, 173rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Lincoln Air National Guard Base, Neb.
2. August 1987-December 1988, T-37B/T-43A Student Navigator, 439th/451st Flying Training Squadron, Mather Air Force Base, Calif.
3. December 1988-July 1991, C-130E Adverse Weather Aerial Delivery System Instructor Navigator, 39th Tactical Airlift Squadron, Pope AFB, N.C.
4. July 1991-August 1992, T-37B/T-38A Student Pilot, 8th/25th FTS, Vance AFB, Okla.
5. August 1992-September 1993, C-12F Aircraft Commander, 58th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany
6. September 1993-July 1998, C-130E AWADS Evaluator Pilot/Flight Commander, 2nd AS; Chief of Flight Safety 23rd Wing/43rd Airlift Wing, Pope AFB, N.C.
7. July 1998-April 1999, C-130J/C-130E Instructor Pilot, Officer in Charge of OL-E, 33rd Flight Test Squadron, Marietta, Ga.
8. April 1999-July 2001, C/WC-130J Deputy Test Director/Operations Officer, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, OL-A, Keesler AFB, Miss.
9. July 2001-March 2004, Chief of Tactics, 815th AS, Standards and Evaluation Pilot, 403rd Operations Group, Keesler AFB, Miss.
10. March 2004-January 2006, Director of Operations, 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, Keesler AFB, Miss.
11. January 2006-July 2008, Commander, 403rd OG, Keesler AFB, Miss.
12. July 2008-October 2009, Assistant to and Commander, 315th OG, Charleston AFB, S.C.
13. October 2009-May 2011, Chief, Programs Division, Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
14. May 2011–July 2013, Commander, 403rd Wing, Keesler AFB, Miss.
15. July 2013–March 2016, Chief of Staff, Senior Policy Advisor for the Air Force Reserve to the Reserve Forces Policy Board, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Arlington, Va.
16. March 2016-June 2017, Commander, 439th AW, Westover ARB, Mass.
17. June 2017–December 2018, Director, Air Force Reserve Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, Arlington, Va.
18. December 2018-March 2022, Director Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements, Headquarters, AFRC, Robins AFB, Ga.
19. March 2022-present, Special Assistant to the Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2013–March 2016: Chief of Staff, Senior Policy Advisor for the Air Force Reserve to the Reserve Forces Policy Board, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Arlington, Va., as a colonel and a brigadier general
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: navigator/command pilot
Flight hours: more than 6,500
Aircraft flown: T-37B, T-38A, C-12F, C-17A, C-130E/J, HC-130J, WC-130J and C-5A/B/M
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal with silver oak leaf cluster
Air Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal
Award Combat Readiness Medal with two oak leaf clusters
National Defense Service Medal with device
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal with device
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Humanitarian Service Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Nov. 19, 1987
First Lieutenant Nov. 19, 1989
Captain Nov. 19, 1991
Major June 1, 1999
Lieutenant Colonel Oct. 19, 2004
Colonel Feb. 7, 2008
Brigadier General Dec. 7, 2016
Major General Feb. 1, 2019
(Current as of March 2022)