Lieutenant Colonel Jason Cooper

Lt Col Jason R. Cooper is the commander of the 154th Training Squadron, 189th Operations Group, 189th Airlift Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard, located at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. As Commander, Lt Col Cooper is responsible for the divergent mission of the 154th Training Squadron, directly supervising over 160 full-time and Drill-Status Guardsmen serving aircrew and personnel duties.  The complex mission of the 154th Training Squadron is to provide the highest quality C-130 aircrew formal training for the Department of Defense and more than 20 allied nations, while effectively airlifting cargo and personnel in support of state and national objectives. Lt Col Cooper is an evaluator navigator with more than 3400 hours of military flying time on the MC-130P, C-130E, and C-130H variants aircraft.

Lt Col Cooper was born in Columbia, South Carolina and graduated from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina in 2002 earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. He was commissioned a second lieutenant upon graduation and attended Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training at Randolph AFB, TX and Kirtland AFB, NM. His Active Duty career was spent in Air Force Special Operations Command with the 67th Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom and the 9th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL. Lt Col Cooper has flown missions in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM, ENDURING FREEDOM, JOINT GUARDIAN and multiple civil relief efforts, both stateside and abroad. Lt Col Cooper left Active Duty in August 2009 and transitioned to the Arkansas Air National Guard. He was promoted to the grade of lieutenant colonel on March 1, 2018.

Lt Col Cooper is married to Jaclyn Cooper and they have three beautiful daughters, Lexi Ryan, Landri, and Collins.

EDUCATION

• 2002 – Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina
• 2009 – Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, AL by correspondence
• 2012 – Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL by correspondence
• 2020 – Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL by correspondence

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Sep 2002 – Sep 2003, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training, 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph AFB, TX
2. Sep 2003 – Aug 2004, MC-130P Navigator Mission Qualification, 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, NM
3. Aug 2004 – Aug 2006, MC-130P Instructor Navigator/Mobility Officer/Training Officer, 67th Special Operations Squadron, RAF Mildenhall, UK
4. Aug 2006 – Aug 2009, MC-130P Instructor/Evaluator Navigator, Deputy Plans Flight CC/Chief of Training, 9th Special Operations Squadron, Eglin AFB, FL
5. Aug 2009 – Aug 2015, C-130H Instructor/Evaluator Navigator, 154th Training Squadron, Arkansas ANG, Little Rock AFB, AR
6. Aug 2015 – Aug 2017, Assistant Chief of Current Operations, 189th Operations Support Squadron, Arkansas ANG, Little Rock AFB, AR
7. Aug 2017 – Mar 2019, Group Executive Officer, 189th Operations Group, Arkansas ANG, Little Rock AFB, AR
8. Mar 2019 – Apr 2020, Wing Executive Officer, 189th Airlift Wing, Arkansas ANG, Little Rock AFB, AR

MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

• Meritorious Service Medal with two devices
• Air Medal with three devices
• Aerial Achievement Medal with one device
• Air Force Commendation Medal
• Air Force Achievement Medal
• Meritorious Unit Award with one device
• AF Outstanding Unit Award (Valor) with three devices
• Combat Readiness Medal
• National Defense Service Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal with one device
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• Humanitarian Service Medal with one device
• Air Force Overseas Ribbon Long
• Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border with one device
• Air Force Longevity Service with three devices
• Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
• Air Force Training Ribbon

EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION

• Second Lieutenant – 15 Sep 2002
• First Lieutenant – 15 Sep 2004
• Captain – 15 Sep 2006
• Major – 03 Jun 2011
• Lieutenant Colonel – 01 Mar 2018