Colonel Jason Eckberg is the 9th Reconnaissance Wing Vice Commander, Beale Air Force Base, California. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing is responsible for the entire Air Force manned high-altitude reconnaissance fleet of the U-2 DRAGON LADY aircraft, leads the nascent Common Mission Control Center, and is the installation command for the Beale Weapon System. As Vice Commander, Colonel Eckberg oversees qualification, continuation training, and mission verification for combat aircrew, as well as monitors the planning and execution of Joint Chiefs of Staff and nationally tasked global reconnaissance missions. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing supports a Total Force team including the 940th Air Refueling Wing (Air Force Reserve), 548th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group (Air Combat Command), 7th Space Warning Squadron (United States Space Force), 195th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing (Air National Guard), and a myriad of smaller tenant units.
Colonel Eckberg was commissioned in 1997, Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Detachment 730, Carnegie Mellon University. He is a graduate of USAF Test Pilot School, Class 05B and Air Force Institute of Technology, class 2011M. Colonel Eckberg commanded at the squadron and group levels. In addition, he has conducted global and theater reconnaissance operations, flight and electromagnetic warfare test, Joint Electromagnetic Warfare operations in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, and has completed both Joint and Air Staff assignments.
Colonel Eckberg is a master navigator with over 2,000 hours in RC-135S/U/V/W, F-16, UH-60U, NT-43A, T-38, C-12, C-32, MC-12, C-146, F-15, F/A-18B/D/F, T-6, T-6A, NP-3D, T-43, T-1A, DC-3, BLIMP, and the HU-16. He is married to the former Mary Ann Bruns of Central City, Nebraska. They have no children, but cater lovingly and assiduously to their senior mixed-breed dog, Samson.
EDUCATION
1997 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
2003 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell AFB, Alabama.
2006 United States Air Force Test Pilot School, Experimental Flight Test Navigator Course, Edwards AFB, California.
2008 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence
2009 Master of Science in Administration, Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant, Michigan.
2011 Master of Science in Cyber Warfare, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
2013 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama, by correspondence
2016 Military Fellow, Security Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
ASSIGNMENTS OR CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 1997 – November 1997, Special Assistant to the Commander, Det 730, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
2. November 1997 – February 1999, Student, Joint Undergraduate Navigator Training/Joint Aviation Electronic
Warfare School, Pensacola, Florida.
3. March 1999 – December 2000, RC-135 Electronic Warfare Officer, 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt
AFB, Nebraska.
4. January 01 – April 2003, RC-135 Instructor/Evaluator Electronic Warfare Officer and Tactics
Officer, 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, Offutt AFB, Nebraska.
5. April 2003 – July 2004, COBRA BALL Tactics Officer, 55th Operations Support Squadron, Offutt
AFB, Nebraska.
6. July 2004 – May 2005, Executive Officer, 55th Operations Group, Offutt AFB, Nebraska.
7. June 2005 – August 2006, Student, United States Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, California.
8. August 2006 – July 2007, Chief of Operations Scheduling, Flight Test Navigator Instructor, United
States Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards AFB, California.
9. July 2007 – July 2008, F22A Flight Commander, Data Masked.
10. July 2008 – January 2009, Deployed, Electronic Warfare Officer, 18th Military Police Brigade, Camp
Victory, Baghdad, Iraq.
11. January 2009 – May 2010, Squadron Chief Engineer, Data Masked.
12. May 2010 – June 2011, Intermediate Developmental Education Student, Air Force Institute of
Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
13. August 2011 – August 2013, Commander, 645th Aeronautical Systems Squadron, Greenville, Texas
14. August 2013 – June 2015, Chief Advanced Technologies Branch, Electronic Warfare Division, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon, Washington DC.
15. June 2015 – June 2016, Air Force National Military Fellow, Security Studies Program,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
16. June 2016 – June 2017, ISR Joint Working Group Lead, Joint Forces Coordinator Division,
Operations Directorate (CJCS/J3), Norfolk, Virginia.
17. June 2017 – June 2018, Concept Development Branch Chief, Future Joint Force Deputy Directorate,
Joint Staff J-7, Suffolk, Virginia.
18. July 2018 – August 2020, Commander, Operations Group, Data Masked.
19. August 2020 – May 2021, Deputy Director of EW/EMS Superiority, Headquarters Air Force, Pentagon. Washington, DC.
20. May 2021 – Present, Vice Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, California.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. June 2016 – June 2018, ISR Joint Force Requirements Officer and Concept Development Branch Chief, Joint Staff J-7, Suffolk, VA, as a lieutenant colonel and colonel
2. June 2008 – January 2009, Brigade Electromagnetic Warfare Officer, 18th Military Police Brigade, assigned through Joint CREW Composite Squadron-1, Victory Base, Baghdad, Iraq
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: Master Navigator
Flight hours: 2,126
Aircraft flown: RC-135S/U/V/W, F-16, UH-60U, NT-43A, T-38, C-12, C-32, MC-12, C-146, F-15, F/A-18B/D/F, T-6, T-6A, NP-3D, T-43, T-1A, DC-3, BLIMP, HU-16
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Bronze Star Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2009 Acquisition Corps Member
2010 APDP Level III, Test and Evaluation
2009 APDP Level I, Program Management 2009 APDP Level I, Systems Engineering and Management
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant May 17, 1997
First Lieutenant May 28, 1999
Captain May 28, 2001
Major February 1, 2007
Lieutenant Colonel December 1, 2011
Colonel March 1, 2018
(Current as of June 2022)